A pill taken each night could cut breathing interruptions nearly in half for sleep apnoea patients, a study has found.

The common disorder, which affects roughly eight million people in the UK, occurs when breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night.

Patients may struggle with loud snoring, gasping or snorting during sleep, as well as excessive sleepiness or fatigue in the day.

In the long-term, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) can also cause severe strain to the body – significantly raising the risk of life-threatening cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Treatment for the condition is usually a CPAP machine, which uses mild air pressure through a mask to keep the airway open. 

While the device can reduce symptoms, it's uncomfortable to wear, so nearly half of all people prescribed it either stop using it or never start.

Now researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre say a daily pill could soon replace the CPAP. 

The new drug, AD109, combines two existing medications – aroxybutynin and atomoxetine – to support throat muscles and make the airway less likely to close during sleep.

A six-month trial at more than 60 sites across the US and Canada looked at the effect of the drug on 646 adults with mild to severe sleep apnoea, who either refused to use or could not tolerate CPAP machines. 

Patients given the drug saw the number of breathing interruptions per hour fall by about 44 per cent. Other night time problems also improved.

Researchers found the benefits were seen across a variety of patients with different levels of disease and various body types.

Dr Patrick John Strollo, the study's lead author, said: 'In many other chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, asthma or type 2 diabetes, it would be unthinkable for the majority of diagnosed patients to remain untreated or undertreated. 

Yet that remains the reality in OSA.

'An oral pill that targets the underlying neuromuscular drivers of airway collapse during sleep could help address this gap.'