New drug offers "two-for-one" treatment of heart failure, sleep apnea

New Atlas
By Paul McClure
March 30, 2023

Heart failure is a global health problem commonly complicated by sleep apnea, a co-morbidity that further reduces a person’s lifespan. A promising new drug has been developed that could treat heart failure and sleep apnea by targeting the nervous activity that drives both.

For people with heart failure, the prognosis is poor and mortality high despite recent advances in treatment. According to the National Institutes of Health, heart failure affects more than 64 million people worldwide, making it a major global public health priority.

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Now, a promising new drug has been developed that targets the nerve activity that causes both heart failure and sleep apnea. Researchers from the University of Auckland in New Zealand tested the drug, known as AF-130, on rats with chronic heart failure and sleep apnea. They found that AF-130 acted as an effective P2X3 receptor antagonist, normalizing the body’s respiratory response to hypoxia and substantially improving the amount of blood pumped by the heart (cardiac output). Breathing disturbances were eliminated.

“This drug does offer benefit for heart failure, but it’s two for the price of one, in that it’s also relieving the apnea for which there is currently no drug, only CPAP, which is poorly tolerated,” said Julian Paton, corresponding author of the study.

https://newatlas.com/medical/new-drug-two-for-one-treatment-heart-failure-sleep-apnea/

The article mentions that the drug is soon to be approved by the FDA for a different clinical use.

I am so excited. I HATE CPAPs.