Sleep Apnea Patients Benefiting From Medical Cannabis
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The most comprehensive research to date on the impact of medicinal cannabis on patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has demonstrated a significant enhancement in their sleep quality.
Obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder marked by recurrent interruptions or shallow breathing during sleep due to a constricted upper airway, not only interrupts sleep and leads to fatigue, but if left untreated, can escalate the risk of numerous health problems including hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
OSA is a prevalent condition, with high occurrence rates. It can be managed through a blend of lifestyle changes, medical equipment like Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy, and in certain cases, surgery. Medical cannabis is also gaining recognition as a possible treatment option.
OSA was included as an eligible condition in a certain medical cannabis program that started in 2015. This program collects patient data and publishes research, contributing to the expanding scientific understanding of medicinal cannabis use.
A recent study undertaken by researchers at a certain Office of Cannabis Management involved 3,102 OSA patients. Out of 2,749 patients with moderate to severe sleep disturbances, 39.4% managed to reduce symptoms by 30% and sustained this for at least four months. Of those with moderate to severe fatigue, 33.5% of patients achieved the same level of symptom reduction and maintained it for a similar duration.
In terms of side-effects, merely 16.5% reported negative incidents, with 75.5% of these being mild. Dry mouth was the most frequent side effect. Only 3.7% of patients reported severe side effects, primarily fatigue and headache.
The types of medical cannabis products used by patients varied. Inhalation products made up 64.2%, oral products such as gummies constituted 29.2%, while oromucosal and topical products represented 4.8% and 1.9% respectively.
The full study report is available for review.
As of June 2024, the most recent update, 48,349 patients were registered for the program. Obstructive sleep apnea was the fourth most common eligible condition.
More information on the medical cannabis program can be found on the relevant website.