Combined Therapy Helps Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Sleep Better at High Altitude

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects 2% to 4% of middle-aged adults, many of whom travel recreationally to higher altitudes. Many of these patients receive continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, but CPAP is less effective at high altitude than at low altitude. Acetazolamide, a carbonic-anhydrase inhibitor that stimulates respiration, has been used for many years to prevent development of high altitude sickness and breathing abnormalities in patients without OSA (JW Gen Med Nov 6 2012).

Swiss investigators assessed the value of adding acetazolamide to CPAP in 51 overweight and obese middle-aged adults (mostly men) with moderate-to-severe OSA during travel at high altitude (≥1630 m). All patients continued their usual CPAP therap…