Future Treatments for Sleep Apnea

New medicines and devices for sleep apnea are being developed now. In the future, treatment will be matched to each person. Today's treatments still work very well, so ask your sleep specialist about the newest options.

What is next in sleep apnea treatment?

Sleep medicine keeps changing, and exciting new treatments are on the way. These new therapies may change how we treat sleep apnea in the future. Treatment matched to each person is the future.

What treatments are being studied?

• Medicines (pharmacotherapy) — Drug combinations are being tested in clinical trials (research studies in people). They aim to keep the airway muscles firm and boost the brain's drive to breathe.
• Next-generation implants — Smaller devices that stimulate nerves on both sides, with longer battery life.
• Targeted drug delivery — Treatments given right at the airway to shrink extra tissue.
• Precision medicine — Treatment matched to your own type of sleep apnea. Doctors call these types "phenotypes."
• AI-powered CPAP — CPAP machines that use computer learning to adjust air pressure as you sleep.
• Wearable treatment devices — Devices worn on the body that stimulate nerves from outside the skin.

What new options can you get now?

• Auto-adjusting CPAP — CPAP that uses advanced software
• Nerve stimulators — Inspire and newer hypoglossal nerve stimulators (devices that stimulate the nerve that moves your tongue)
• Custom oral appliances — 3D-printed mouth guards made to fit you
• Video visits — Sleep care by video visit (telemedicine)

Today's treatments still work very well. Ask your sleep specialist about the newest options.