Obstructive sleep apnea treatment prevents heart attacks and strokes

Researchers of the University of São Paulo Medical School in Brazil have found that treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) significant reduces early indications of atherosclerosis in just few months.

Their conclusion was that OSA is directly linked to the hardening or narrowing of the arteries and is independently associated with increased risk of fatal cardiovascular events that can be reversed by treatment with CPAP.

The study conclusions were published in the first issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine for October of 2007, published by the American Thoracic Society.