EC Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine

Review Article Volume 14 Issue 2 - 2025

In Search of a New Paradigm for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Paulina Kostrzewska1*, Izabela Filipczyńska2, Katarzyna Ossowska3, Agnieszka Wojciechowska-Luźniak1,4, Agnieszka Maksymiuk-Kłos1,4, Paweł Kuca1,4 and Przemysław Witek1,4

1Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Mazovian Brodnowski Hospital, Warsaw, Poland

2Medical University of Białystok, Poland

3Eli Lilly, Poland

4Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland

*Corresponding Author: Paulina Kostrzewska, Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Mazovian Brodnowski Hospital, Warsaw, Poland.
Received: November 25, 2024; Published:January 11, 2025



Obesity is a civilization disease of the 21st century, which is associated with excessive accumulation of fat tissue due to a positive energy balance. Obesity increases the risk of diseases such as: for hypertension, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea. The impact of obesity on respiratory disorders is multifactorial. The distribution of body fat in obese people has a greater impact on the respiratory system than body weight or body mass index (BMI). Obstructive sleep apnea is one of the few diseases in which obesity may be both a cause of the disease and its consequence.

Sleep is one of the basic physiological needs and is an important element for the proper functioning of the body. Sleep deprivation significantly affects immune disorders, the development of insulin resistance, obesity and diabetes. This review focused on the analysis of available publications regarding the current treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and the possibilities offered by tirzepatide. According to current medical knowledge, weight loss is associated with a reduction in breathing disorders during sleep. Previous recommendations for the treatment of OSA focused mainly on symptomatic treatment and weight loss. Currently, it seems justified to include drugs that may affect the cause of the problem in the standard of treatment. Current research shows that tirzepatide is one of the GLP-1 and GIP analogues that effectively reduces the mass of fat tissue that accumulates in the neck and chest in the case of obstructive sleep apnea.

 Keywords: Obesity; Obstructive Sleep Apnea; Fat Tissue; BMI; Tirzepatide

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Paulina Kostrzewska., et al. "In Search of a New Paradigm for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea". EC Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine  14.2 (2025): 01-11.