Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug Zepbound was found to reduce obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity, the drugmaker said in a release Wednesday. Obstructive sleep apnea affects about 39 million adults in the U.S., according to the National Council on Aging. It occurs when a person’s upper airway becomes blocked during sleep, cutting off airflow throughout the night, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute says. Obesity, which can narrow the airway, can increase a person's risk.
The researchers found that after 52 weeks, Zepbound had led to an average reduction of 27.4 events per hour in people who were not on PAP machines, compared to a reduction of 4.8 events per hour for people on the placebo. In people who did use PAP machines, Zepbound led to an average reduction of 30.4 events per hour, compared to an average reduction of 6 events per hour for the placebo group. Dr.