whether sleep medicines dangerous for apnea patients

javaide · Post by **javaide** » Mon May 07, 2007 5:46 am

It is now well established that sleep medicines relax the muscles of the throat and may thus be dangerous for apnea patients. However, such medicines like ambien, sonata, melotinin, trazadone etc. are being invariably prescribed by doctors for patients suffering from sleep apnea, as a treatment for fragmented sleep. Could some very knowledgeable forum members guide, as to why the sleep medicines are still being prescribed notwithstanding the obviosu dangours. Or whether these sleep medicines can still be safely used if the patient is on cpap machine. Thanks in anticipation.

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:02 am

I don't know if I'd throw myself in the "knowledgable" category, but I'll take a stab at it.

Sure, they relax the throat muscles, but so does deep sleep. I think the main danger is when people with OSA take them without using their CPAP. Muscles can only be so relaxed, and my thoughts are that if you were properly titrated the air would splint your throat open anyway. Could be 100% wrong, but that's where I think the docs are coming from.

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:19 am

blarg Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 8:02 am Post subject:

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I Could be 100% wrong, but that's where I think the docs are coming from.

And we know that the doctors are NEVER wrong!!

Blarg, I agree with your opinion. All I've ever read points to the dangers of sleep medicines with UNtreated apnea. Not that my doctor has any credibility in my mind, but he prescribed Ambien for me to take at my titration study. (I didn't take it.)