Popular weight loss drug Zepbound could soon be used as sleep apnea treatment, drugmaker Eli Lily to submit request to FDA [Video]

Zepbound, a popular weight loss drug, also seems to help people with obstructive sleep apnea, drugmaker Eli Lilly said Wednesday.

Based on results from trials in people with sleep apnea, the company said it plans to submit the material to the US Food and Drug Administration to potentially expand the use of Zepbound for obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder that causes people to briefly stop breathing while they are sleeping, sometimes several times an hour. This condition can keep a person from feeling fully rested because their brain wakes them up when the body senses that they are no longer breathing. The disorder can also make people much more prone to developing other serious health problems such as coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke. The World Health Organization estimates about 100 million people have this disorder globally.

While people are more at risk for obstructive …