Preventing opioid-related breathing problems during sleep
Project 5: Novel strategies to prevent opioid-induced hypoventilation during sleep and identification of underlying mechanisms
This project tests medicines that might boost breathing at night for adults taking opioid pain medicines, including people with sleep apnea.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11016106 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
I would be asked to spend nights in a sleep lab so researchers can see how opioids affect breathing and muscle control during sleep. They will compare healthy volunteers and people with obstructive sleep apnea who take a 50 mg dose or extended‑release morphine, measuring diaphragm and throat muscle activity, breathing responses to higher CO2, and how quickly I wake up to breathe. The team will test non-opioid drugs such as danavorexton and taltirelin to see if they can stimulate breathing without taking away pain relief. Tests will include overnight monitoring and controlled breathing challenges with follow-up visits.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who take opioid pain medicines—especially those with obstructive sleep apnea or nighttime breathing problems—are the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People who do not take opioids, children, pregnant people, or those whose breathing problems have non-opioid causes are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower the risk of dangerous overnight breathing slowdowns from opioids while preserving pain relief.
How similar studies have performed: Early animal and small human studies suggest these drugs can stimulate breathing without reversing opioid pain relief, but larger human trials are still limited.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wellman, David Andrew — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Wellman, David Andrew
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.