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Obstructive sleep apnea is most often treated with nasally administered continuous positive airway pressure, but not all patients can tolerate this therapy. Because apneic episodes are more common during REM sleep, this study evaluated whether oral clonidine, a centrally mediated antihypertensive agent with REM-suppressant activity, can improve sleep patterns and respiration.
Eight men with obstructive sleep apnea took 10 nights of clonidine (0.2 mg) and 10 nights of placebo in random order. Each underwent six all-night sleep studies: two studies while taking clonidine, two while taking placebo, and two during control periods preceding each treatment phase (there was a 1-week washout period between phases). All studies were interpreted by a …