CPAP Therapy Reduces Aterial Stiffness (study)

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Following is an excerpt from an interesting and recent Pubmed abstract. It adds a nice data point to support my favorite side-effect of xPAP therapy (longevity). Bolding supplied

(from Pubmed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21213062 PMID: 21213062)

Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea reduces arterial stiffness. Buchner et al. (Ruhr-University Bochum) Sleep Breath. 2011 Jan 7.
Abstract (excerpt)

PURPOSE: A close relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and atherosclerosis has been reported, but it is still discussed controversially whether OSA affects vascular function and structure independently. Therefore, we prospectively investigated the independent impact of OSA and its treatment on arterial stiffness.
METHODS: One hundred seventy-two patients with suspected OSA were prospectively enrolled in a non-randomized 6-month study to determine whether effective treatment (respiratory events sufficiently reduced and proven compliance) of OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) would affect vascular function…
CONCLUSIONS: This prospective controlled study suggests that OSA is independently associated with increased arterial stiffness. Furthermore, treatment with CPAP significantly reduced arterial stiffness. These findings extend our understanding of the recently shown cardiovascular burden in OSA and help to explain why CPAP treatment proved to ameliorate cardiovascular outcome even in patients without preexisting cardiovascular disease.

Regards all - - Capt Midnight (Tom)


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Good find, Tom!

Am sending that to a friend who snores and is reluctant to get a sleep study (their insurance would cover it!) despite years of gentle urging by...yep, by "rested gal"

The person has slowly worsening diagnosed (and on meds) peripheral arterial disease (PAD.) Perhaps that article will be the needed nudge.