New Study: CPAP Offers Protection Against Heart Failure

In a study published in Circulation: Heart Failure, a journal of the American Heart
Association, researchers discovered that moderate to severe OSA can cause changes
in the heart's shape and function, similar to the effects of hypertension. These
 changes include increased mass, thickening of the heart wall and reduced pumping
ability.
But after six months after continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment
the abnormalities returned to near-normal measurements in sleep apnea patients.

Facts about OSA and Heart Failure:


* 50% of heart failure patients have OSA (Javaheri 1999).


* Heart failure is the most expensive disorder to treat (Medicare: $20.4 billion
 per annum) and over 75% of heart failure patients have sleep apnea (Oldenburg 2007).

* The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association have recommended
that all patients with newly diagnosed or refractory heart failure patients be evaluated
for sleep apnea.