Sleep Apnea

Medications

Doctors generally do not suggest medicines for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). But medicine can help reduce daytime sleepiness when continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is reducing apneas—the number of times you stop breathing at night—but daytime sleepiness continues.^{13, 14}

Medication Choices

Health Canada has approved one medicine for people who are using CPAP but still have excessive daytime sleepiness:

• Modafinil (Alertec, Provigil)

What To Think About

People with sleep apnea who take modafinil should continue using CPAP to treat sleep apnea.

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Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS Ralph Poore	Last Updated: September 4, 2007
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine Jan Ulfberg, MD, PhD - Sleep Disorders
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