Sleep apnea is estimated to affect 1 in 5 American adults, and there are currently no drugs available to treat it. But a large-scale clinical trial now offers hope, proving that a drug that uses a synthetic version of the main psychoactive substance in cannabis is effective for treating the disorder.
The drug is called dronabinol, and it is based on a synthetic version of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the main psychoactive compound responsible for the “high” in cannabis use.
The randomized clinical trial is the longest and largest of its kind, and the results are from its second phase. Dronabinol is already in use for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing chemotherapy.