ANy data/studies showing that cpap treatment improves the

[johnthomasmacdonald]

health or reduces the mortality of people that have no other co-morbidities? I've seen studies showing it reduces the death rates ( not a big difference though) of people with pre-existing heart disease who also have sleep apnea. I've also seen studies showing that it improves the self-reported exhaustion of people who had reported being very fatigued prior to treatment but i've not been able to show that it improves the health/longevity of otherwise healthy people who use it.



THANKS!

[kaiasgram]

Great question JTM, thank you for asking it.

[LSAT]

I can guarantee you that NOT using it will definitely affect longevity.

[Nooblakahn]

Well, I have heard of people falling asleep due to untreated sleep apnea, while driving. Seems preventing that could certainly lengthen your life by not getting into an accident. Not to mention studies have shown that treating sleep apnea can help a person loose weight, which has a long list of health benefits as well.

[chunkyfrog]

Sleeping without the machine, there were a few times that I wanted to die.
That feeling has never returned.

[johnthomasmacdonald]

LSAT wrote: " I can guarantee you that NOT using it will definitely affect longevity."

Excellent!!!! Where's the data?

[johnthomasmacdonald]

Nooblakahn wrote:"
Well, I have heard of people falling asleep due to untreated sleep apnea, while driving. Seems preventing that could certainly lengthen your life by not getting into an accident. Not to mention studies have shown that treating sleep apnea can help a person loose weight, which has a long list of health benefits as well."

I have to admit that in six months of using it the entire night, every night - except for Sandy and a night testing the dental appliance - and I feel MUCH MUCH more tired now than i did prior to using cpap

and since starting cpap treatment I've gained about 15 pounds, I wasn't overweight to start with but I've had to start a diet - no chips for me during the superbowl

[chunkyfrog]

I can't speak for the rest of us, but without the excellent sleep I've been getting for nearly 3 years,
I might find myself dazedly wandering across the Interstate. (or halfway)
Remember "Frogger" That could have been me!

[zoocrewphoto]

Look for studies that track what oxygen deprivation does to the body.

Also, some of the co-morbid issues exist because of untreated sleep apnea. So, somebody who doesn't have them yet can PREVENT them.

[squid13]

except for Sandy and a night testing the dental appliance - and I feel MUCH MUCH more tired now than i did prior to using cpap

Maybe you have other problems that have surfaced since your body is getting proper oxygen at night when you sleep.

[LSAT]

LSAT wrote: " I can guarantee you that NOT using it will definitely affect longevity."

Excellent!!!! Where's the data?

Lack of oxygen affects your brain! You look up the data yourself!

[HoseCrusher]

I had a chat with a cardiologist about this. It appears that the sudden arousal that occurs when you recover from stopping breathing triggers the fight or flight response. Do a search on this to see what the adverse effects are.

A couple that come to mind are adrenal fatigue and the body needs to process the adrenaline and noradrenaline that is released during the incident. It is estimated that the body takes between 20 to 60 minutes to process these hormones from a single incident. If you have 50 - 100 arousal's per hour your body doesn't have a chance to process these hormones.

So now you end up with excess hormones floating around in your body. Those hormones are designed to increase your heart rate and blood pressure and shut off your digestive process. Your breathing rate also increases.

While you appear to be in a restful sleep, your body is preparing for war. The increase in breathing can lead to hyperventilation which results in a reduction in oxygen to the body and brain. The spike in blood pressure and heart rate are caused by the hormone and are different than that experienced during exercise. Exercise is good. Hormone stimulation is not good.

I was told that there are a number of studies underway right now and those results should start to be available in the near future. As for right now you would most likely have to contact a sleep research facility to see if they have anything right now.

[johnthomasmacdonald]

LSAT wrote: "
Lack of oxygen affects your brain! You look up the data yourself!"

"lack of oxygen" is pretty non-specific - at what point does it do damage? - if i hold my breath for 2 minutes am I doing brain damage? - we KNOW that every glass of alcohol kills a certain number of brain cells yet i don't see too many people worrying about that.

My lowest O2 saturation overnight was 88% - and that was for less than a minute - does that kill off brain cells ? not anywhere in any scientific literature i've been able to find - but if you are aware of such data - please show it since you seem to be such an authority

[billbolton]

I have to admit that in six months of using it the entire night, every night - except for Sandy and a night testing the dental appliance - and I feel MUCH MUCH more tired now than i did prior to using cpap

and since starting cpap treatment I've gained about 15 pounds, I wasn't overweight to start with but I've had to start a diet - no chips for me during the superbowl

From those admissions, it seems likely that you have co-morbidities that you were previously unaware of..... as they were maked by the effects of prolonged sleep apnea

There is a lot of relevent material already referenced here - some work with the search facility is indicated for you

[ems]

My lowest O2 saturation overnight was 88% - and that was for less than a minute - does that kill off brain cells ? not anywhere in any scientific literature i've been able to find - but if you are aware of such data - please show it since you seem to be such an authority

I think I understand why you asked your original question but I'm just as certain that the best scientists and doctors in the country don't have an answer. If they did, more would be understood about sleep apnea. There is so much guessing about medicine/illnesses in general, with sleep apnea and treating it probably heading the list.