Personalized pills may rescue sleep apnea patients failed by standard devices
NCT ID NCT05293600
First seen Jul 15, 2026 · Last updated Jul 16, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether adding a drug tailored to a person's specific sleep apnea subtype can help when a mouthpiece or tongue nerve stimulator still leaves them with breathing pauses. Participants whose device did not fully control their apnea will receive either a placebo or one of three drugs—acetazolamide, trazodone, or atomoxetine-plus-eszopiclone—chosen based on their individual sleep apnea cause. The goal is to see if the drug can further reduce the number of breathing interruptions during sleep.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- acetazolamide, trazodone, or atomoxetine-plus-eszopiclone depending on the person's sleep apnea subtype
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer a drug-based rescue option for people whose mouthpiece or nerve stimulator does not fully control their sleep apnea.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-phase trial with only 70 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The drugs also have side effects and may not work for all subtypes.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Study contacts
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Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
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Sleep Disorders Research Program Brigham and Women's Hospital
RECRUITINGBoston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
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