Childhood Sleep Apnea Medication

  • Author: Mary E Cataletto, MD; Chief Editor: Michael R Bye, MD   more...
 
Updated: May 14, 2012
 
 

Medication Summary

No effective pharmacologic therapy for childhood obstructive sleep apnea is recognized. Individuals with obstructive sleep apnea and hypersomnolence should have the underlying cause of their obstructive apnea addressed, rather than use stimulant medication during the day in an attempt to help stay alert.

Nocturnal supplemental oxygen is generally not advised as a primary treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Although oxygen may blunt the degree of hemoglobin desaturation during sleep, it does not prevent sleep fragmentation, sleep deprivation, or associated autonomic stimulation during the obstructive episodes. Preoperative supplemental oxygen treatment has been reported to worsen obstructive hypoventilation in some children. Therefore, if oxygen is used as a bridge to more definitive therapy, the effect of supplemental oxygen should be documented during nocturnal polysomnography.

Intranasal fluticasone propionate (Flonase) administered daily for 6 weeks has been shown to ameliorate the frequency of obstructive events in children with documented mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea caused by tonsil and/or adenoid hypertrophy by about one half. Intranasal corticosteroids have not been shown to decrease obstructive symptoms, eliminate the need for surgery, prevent oxygen desaturation, or shrink tonsil or adenoid tissue; therefore, if intranasal corticosteroids are used, the treatment is only temporary pending a more permanent solution. Systemic corticosteroids have not been shown effective and have no role in treatment.

Preliminary studies suggest an oral leukotriene modifier therapy may reduce the severity of obstructive sleep apnea; however, this intervention is currently considered investigational. Intranasal budesonide used for 6 weeks has been demonstrated to lead to a sustained improvement in mild obstructive sleep apnea but is unproven as therapy for severe obstructive sleep apnea.[21]

 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Mary E Cataletto, MD  Director of Children's Sleep Services, Winthrop Sleep Disorders Center; Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, State University of New York at Stony Brook

Mary E Cataletto, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Chest Physicians

Disclosure: Shering Plough Pharmaceuticals Honoraria Consulting

Coauthor(s)

Andrew J Lipton, MD, MPH and TM  Staff Pediatric Pulmonologist, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Andrew J Lipton, MD, MPH and TM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Chest Physicians, and American Thoracic Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Timothy D Murphy, MD  Pediatric Pulmonologist, Consulting and Attending Staff, Division of Pulmonology, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, Tacoma, Washington

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Susanna A McColley, MD  Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University, The Feinberg School of Medicine; Director of Cystic Fibrosis Center, Head, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Children's Memorial Medical Center of Chicago

Susanna A McColley, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Chest Physicians, American Sleep Disorders Association, and American Thoracic Society

Disclosure: Genentech Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Genentech Honoraria Consulting; Boston Scientific Consulting fee Consulting; Gilead Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Caremark Consulting fee Consulting; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Heidi Connolly, MD  Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry; Director, Pediatric Sleep Medicine Services, Strong Sleep Disorders Center

Heidi Connolly, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Thoracic Society, and Society of Critical Care Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary E Cataletto, MD  Director of Children's Sleep Services, Winthrop Sleep Disorders Center; Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, State University of New York at Stony Brook

Mary E Cataletto, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Chest Physicians

Disclosure: Shering Plough Pharmaceuticals Honoraria Consulting

Chief Editor

Michael R Bye, MD  Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; Attending Physician, Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York Presbyterian, Columbia University Medical Center

Michael R Bye, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Chest Physicians, and American Thoracic Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous authors Michael Steffan, MD, and David Gozal, MD,to the development and writing of the source articles.

References

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Palate appearance following uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) surgery.
Example of an obstructive apnea and an obstructive hypopnea recorded during polysomnography.
Medical complications associated with obstructive sleep apnea in children.
Compressed overnight polysomnography tracing of a 6-year-old boy who snores, showing multiple events of obstructive apnea (green-shaded areas) associated with oxyhemoglobin desaturation (yellow-shaded areas) and EEG arousals (red-shaded areas).
Parameters monitored during an overnight pediatric sleep study.
Normal parameters for sleep gas exchange and gas exchange in children.
 
 
 
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