CPAP doesn’t prevent secondary cardiac events in OSA: study

22 Sep 2016

The use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy does not prevent recurrent cardiovascular events in people with obstructive sleep apnoea despite significantly reducing daytime sleepiness and improving quality-of-life and mood, a large Australian led study finds.

 Flinders University’s Professor Doug McEvoy, who presented the findings at the European Society of Cardiology Conference in Rome said although he was surprised at a lack of cardiovascular benefit with the therapy he was encouraged by the significant impact on mood and reported wellbeing.

“Patients who used the machines for a minimum of three hours a night reported significant improvements in their wellbeing from their snoring, mood, quality of life and the amount of time they needed to take off work due to sickness,” said Professor McEvoy in a press release issued by The George Institute for Global Health.

 The study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine and involved 2,700 people with OSA and cardiovascular disease from seven countries who used CPAP machines to manage their OSA.

Co-author Professor Craig Anderson, from The George Institute for Global Health, said: “We have shown that CPAP can help improve the lives of people with CPAP, which is significant, and of real benefit to people who suffer from sleep disordered breathing.

More research is now needed on how to reduce the significant risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke for those who suffer from sleep apnea.”

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