A daily pill could prevent snoring

Researchers have found that taking a drug that is currently prescribed for epilepsy could reduce symptoms in those suffering from sleep apnoea.

A study presented at the European Respiratory Society congress in Vienna revealed that patients given the drug sulthiame experienced a drastic reduction in symptoms including snoring, gasping, snorting and choking noises.

Obstructive sleep apnoea leads to loud snoring and a range of other serious health issues and it is estimated that up to one in four adults in Britain suffer from the condition.

Professor Jan Hedner, who presented the research from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said: "The standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea is sleeping with a machine that blows air through a face mask to keep the airways open.

"Unfortunately, many people find these machines hard to use over the long term, so there is a need to find alternative treatments."

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