Jaime Jones, Tyler Johnson, Amanda Johnson, Angelina Kim

Sleep apnea is an obstruction of the airway during sleep. It is associated with an increased risk in cardiovascular events because in the long term, sleep apnea elevates blood pressure, increasing the risk of cardiovascular events. The researchers wanted to know whether treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) had an effect on cardiovascular events.

A randomized trial of 217 eligible adults with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. The eligible adults also had either cornory or cerebral vascular disease. Some were treated with CPAP, and others were not treated with CPAP.

Results confirm that CPAP was an effective treatment for sleep apnea. Those treated with CPAP slept for an average 3.3 more hours per night, and the mean apnea-hypopnea index decreased from 29.0 events per hour at baseline to 3.7 events per hour during follow-up. CPAP also decreased snoring and daytime sleepiness. However, no composite cardiovascular end point was observed.

In conclusion, CPAP is beneficial for sleep apnea patients, but it has no effect on cardivascular events.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27571048