A common sleep therapy used to treat patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may actually have a protective effect against death related to cardiovascular disease.
In a new study published in the June issue of Chest, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, patients with OSA who were treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) had significantly fewer cardiovascular disease-related deaths and cardiovascular-related events than untreated patients.
The association between OSA and cardiovascular disease is not yet fully understood. Researchers say that constant fluctuations in blood oxygen levels caused by OSA may contribute to arterial inflammation, blood flow obstruction, and, eventually, increased hypertension and cardiovascular-related events.
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