'King Kong' jab for weight loss to be offered to severe snorers after they ... trends now

Patients with the most common sleep disorder could be offered pioneering weight-loss jabs to combat the condition which can be life-threatening.

More than 1.5 million people in the UK live with sleep apnoea, in which heavy snoring disrupts their breathing.

The condition leaves sufferers exhausted due to a lack of sleep as well as increasing their risk of developing high blood pressure and heart disease.

But groundbreaking new research has found that weight-loss jab tirzepatide slashed the frequency of apnoea symptoms, boosting the amount of sleep participants got.

While people become more at risk of sleep apnoea as they get older, the most common cause of the condition is obesity.

The weekly injection works in a similar way to the popular weight-loss medicine Wegovy.

Studies suggest tirzepatide is twice as effective – leading researchers to dub it the ‘King Kong’ of weight-loss drugs. 

Experts say it could be life-saving for NHS patients with debilitating sleep apnoea.

‘This looks like a promising treatment,’ says Dr Christopher Turnbull, a sleep apnoea expert at the University of Oxford.

‘Sleep apnoea has a massive impact on the lives of patients, who are more likely to develop heart problems.

‘Many struggle with their weight, which is the main cause of their apnoea, but find it difficult to take part in exercise or commit to a diet because they are exhausted due to the lack of sleep. Anything that could help them lose weight would be a welcome addition to treatment options.’

Muscles in the airways naturally relax during sleep. But those with sleep apnoea suffer a complete collapse of the muscles in the upper windpipe, which can temporarily interrupt breathing.

Those with the condition will often make choking, gasping and snorting noises, and frequently wake up – sometimes as often as every few minutes.

The disruption in breathing also leads to spikes in blood pressure, stressing the heart.

Sleep apnoea patients are twice as likely to suffer a stroke and 80 per cent more likely to develop heart disease than those who don’t have the condition.

In 2016, the death of Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher was put down to severe sleep apnoea combined with heart disease. However, the condition affects predominantly men. Research suggests excess weight can lead to a build-up of fat around the neck as well as increasing the size of the tongue.