For some adults suffering from sleep apnea, Flonase, a steroid nasal spray, may offer relief by shrinking inflamed tissues in the respiratory tract.
Approximately 12 million American adults suffer from sleep apnea, a disorder in which the sleeper either breathes shallowly and infrequently, or has unusually long pauses in breathing.
Each pause in breathing can last 30 seconds or more, and a person with sleep apnea may have dozens such episodes in an hour. Sleep apnea isn’t just dangerous; it can be deadly. People who are age 60 or older, or who have more than 20 episodes of apnea in an hour, or whose oxygen saturation levels drop below 78% during sleep are at highest risk of death from sleep apnea, according to the Mayo Clinic.
There are three basic types of sleep apnea: central, obstructive, and mixed. Central sleep apnea is rare, and is caused by problems with the body’s feedback mechanisms controlling breathing.
Most people with sleep apnea have obstructive sleep apnea, which is caused by physical obstruction of the upper airway, and often causes loud snoring as well. This can occur when the muscles supporting the soft palate, tongue, and tonsils relax too much during sleep, narrowing the airway.
Excess fatty tissue in the throat can also cause obstructive sleep apnea. In people with nasal inflammation due to allergies, relief can sometimes be as simple as using a prescription corticosteroid spray called Flonase.
Risks of Untreated Sleep Apnea
People with untreated sleep apnea often have excessive daytime sleepiness, and two hospital studies in Leeds, UK found that people with sleep apnea were significantly more likely to fail driving simulator tests and to report nodding off behind the wheel. A study published in June in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found a statistical link between sleep apnea and sudden cardiac death. Whether the cardiac deaths were actually caused by sleep apnea has not yet been definitively determined, but the research will likely lead to more studies to establish whether there is a cause and effect relationship between sleep apnea and sudden cardiac death.
Standard Treatments for Sleep Apnea
People with mild sleep apnea can sometimes combat the problem by losing excess weight, avoiding taking sleeping pills, quitting smoking, and avoiding sleeping on their backs. Some people find relief through a machine called a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, which is a mask connected to a machine that delivers continuous flow of air into the nose, helping keep airways open. Some specialty dentists manufacture custom devices designed to be worn in the mouth to help keep airways open, and with some people surgery to correct enlarged tonsils, deviated septum, or excess soft tissue in the back of the throat brings relief.
Flonase for Sleep Apnea
The prescription nasal spray Flonase, usually used to treat allergies, is a topical steroid spray that some people find helpful in reducing snoring and as a possible treatment for sleep apnea. Treating sleep apnea in children is different from treating the condition in adults, because the standard therapies used on adults with sleep apnea either don’t work well in children, or are considered too risky. However, daily use of Flonase for six weeks has been shown to cut down on the number of sleep events related to airway obstruction in children with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Many of these children have enlarged tonsils or adenoids, and Flonase has helped eliminate the need for sleep apnea surgery in some children.
How Flonase Works
Flonase is a nasal spray that helps decrease inflammation in the nasal tissues, reducing bodily chemicals known as cytokines, which can cause inflammation when a person is exposed to allergens. Flonase is not right for everyone, however. Women who are pregnant or nursing should thoroughly discuss the risks and benefits of Flonase with their doctors before taking it. People who have recently taken other corticosteroid medicines, those with glaucoma, or untreated infections (particularly of the nose) may not be able to take Flonase. Finally, long-term use of Flonase in children should be closely monitored by a pediatrician.
If you believe you might have sleep apnea, consult a physician. Depending on the seriousness of the problem, you may need treatment for the condition. Your physician may determine that a trial with Flonase is worthwhile before resorting to more invasive (and expensive) treatments. Sleep apnea definitely needs to be addressed, however, because the condition compromises health and quality of life.
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