Treatment for snoring saves lives from heart disease: Study

Sep 18,2023

A study has found that patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can reduce their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. OSA can lead to fatigue, decreased oxygen in the blood, and increased risk of hypertension, stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. CPAP machines help keep the airways open while sleeping.

MILAN: According to a study, patients with obstructive sleep apnea(OSA) can lower their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by sleeping with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine.

People with OSA snort frequently, their breathing stops and starts throughout the night, and they may wake up several times. This can cause weariness by reducing the amount of oxygen in the blood. It can also increase your chances of developing hypertension, stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

CPAP machines are provided to people with OSA to help them sleep better.

During the night, they blow air through a face mask to keep the user's airways open. However, research on the impact of CPAP on cardiovascular disease has shown contradictory results.

The heart disease study was presented by Dr Jordi de Batlle of the Institut de Recerca Biomedica de Lleida (IRBLleida) in Lleida, Spain. He and his colleagues identified all 3,638 OSA patients in Catalonia who had elected to stop using CPAP in 2011. They compared these to 3,638 OSA patients who used CPAP until at least 2015 or until they died.

Dr de Batlle said, "Our results suggest that CPAP treatment can help most OSA patients by preventing cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and stroke. This is a plus, as CPAP treatment already helps most OSA patients by reducing sleepiness and improving their quality of life. Based on these findings, we should encourage people with OSA to keep using their CPAP machines."

Source: The Economic Times