For many people with sleep apnea, sleeping in a continuous positive pressure machine (CPAP) is far from ideal. However, the device could protect neurological health, suggests a new study.
According to preliminary data published on March 2, starting CPAP treatment within two years of a Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) Diagnosis could reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
The research will be presented in the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in San Diego from April 5 to 9, but it has not yet been published in a review evaluated by peers.
An increasing number of evidence suggest that sleep apnea and Parkinson’s disease are connected – about four out of 10 people with Parkinson were also diagnosed with this sleep disorder.
“Although our study has found an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, the good news is that people can do something, using CPAP as soon as they are diagnosed with sleep disorder”, author of the study Gregory Scott, MD, PHDpersonnel of the veterans’ health care system, said in a press release.
It is estimated that around 30 million Americans have an OSA, but only 6 million have been diagnosed. Among those diagnosed, most of them do not respect the CPAP uses in the long term.
Here is what experts had to say about new research, how sleep apnea, use of CPAP and that of Parkinson could be linked and advice to reduce your risk of health problems linked to this sleep disorder.
If you have dared, it means that you have an airway blocked during sleep, which makes your body difficult for your body to obtain enough oxygen. This can also lead to symptoms Like snoring or breathing for breathing. The CPAP machine can counter these problems – the device includes a mask that passes over the nose and mouth, pushing the air in the airways to keep them open.
To deepen how this sleep apnea treatment could have an effect on the neurological health of a long -term person, the researchers examined 20 years of medical records of more than 1.5 million American veterans with AOS. They compared these records to the data of 9.7 million veterans who did not have the condition.
However, after having adjusted factors such as age, sex and smoking, the team found that there were 1.8 additional cases of Parkinson’s disease for 1,000 people in the ASA group compared to the non -OSA group.
From there, the authors of the study focused on 10% of patients with AOS who used a CPAP machine. Although they did not have information on the frequency that people used, they divided people with sleep apnea into two groups: CPAP users who started treatment within two years of their diagnosis and CPAP users who received the machine after two years.
People who started using their CPAP late have seen a relatively similar rate of Parkinson’s disease than those who did not use a CPAP at all. However, the start of CPAP treatment within two years of the diagnosis was linked to a lower Parkinson rate – there were 2.3 cases less for 1,000 people compared to those who did not use CPAP.
These results suggest that “AOS can be a significant and modifiable risk factor for the development of (Parkinson’s disease)”, concluded the authors of the study.
Despite the evidence of a link between the two, the experts are not completely safe that sleep apnea increases the risk of your parkinson’s disease – or if it is the opposite.
“The question of whether sleep apnea can increase the risk of Parkinson is not clear”, ” Marta Kaminska, MDParkinson researcher and associate professor of medicine at McGill University, said Health.
However, she said: “Some studies have shown that people diagnosed with sleep apnea are more likely to diagnose Parkinson in the years that followed the diagnosis of sleep apnea.”
Sleep apnea makes breathing more difficult during sleep, reduces blood oxygen levels and causes fragmented sleep. Who can, in turn, drive oxidative stress And inflammationChanges in the function of the blood vessels, alteration of the clearance of brain waste, injury to neurons and alteration of the brain, explained Kaminska.
Other research has revealed that this lack of blood in oxygen can indirectly cause changes in brain proteins associated with Parkinson’s disease.
On the other hand, it is well known that the Parkinson can cause sleep disorders, which can start before the diagnosis of Parkinson. Some people can be diagnosed with sleep apnea, but find that their sleep changes were due to Parkinson from the start, Kaminska noted.
However, it is difficult for researchers to analyze what is really behind this link, she said.
“Sleep apnea is common in Parkinson’s disease, but it is therefore common in the elderly. So (we) do not know if it is Parkinson’s disease or age (which could cause sleep apnea) “,” Sonia Ancoli-Israel, PhdSleep apnea researcher and professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, told Health.
For people who have two conditions, evidence shows that sleep apnea can accelerate the decline of Parkinson patients in motor function and cognitive function, aggravate excessive diurnal sleepingAnd increase their risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.
Because sleep apnea is linked to a multitude of health problems, including a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart attack, dementia, etc. – The treatment is essential.
There is Other strategies beyond the CPAPIncluding surgery, positional therapy and nerve stimulation. However, the CPAP is generally the most recommended.
“CPAP therapy can completely correct sleep apnea,” said Kaminska.
Unfortunately, many people find it difficult to tolerate the CPAP machine, complaining of uncomfortable masks, skin inflammation, air leaks, claustrophobia, nasal congestion and the difficulty to be expired.
A report estimates that only 34% of people with OSA used their CPAP machines for seven hours per night; Overall, grip can range by 30% and 60%.
“(CPAP) must be used every evening,” said Ancoli-Israel. “This comfort depends completely on obtaining the right mask.”
Most doctors recommend that people with CPAP machines use them overnight for the best health results. But even use is beneficial.
Above all, said Anco-Israel, treatment for sleep apnea may not be the main contributor to Reduce the risk of Parkinson– Exercise, eat well, stop smoking and limit alcohol intake could also play a role.
But if you suspect that you may have sleep apnea, talk to a health care provider for be diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible.
“Sleep apnea must always be treated as soon as possible,” said Ancoli-Israel. “We know that people with sleep apnea run an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, so this could also be true for Parkinson.”