A worldwide study of over one million patients with sleep apnea provides the strongest evidence to date that CPAP therapy not only alleviates OSA symptoms but can also prolong life.


RT’s Three Key Takeaways

  1. People with OSA who use CPAP therapy have a 37% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those with OSA who do not use CPAP.
  2. People with OSA who use CPAP therapy have a 55% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease
  3. The study found a dose-response relationship, meaning that the more consistently CPAP is used, the greater the survival benefits for people living with OSA.


Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy lowered mortality rates for sleep apnea patients by 37% and specifically lowered the chance of heart-related death by 55%, according to research published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine.

The study, led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and UC San Diego Health, analyzed data from over one million sleep apnea patients worldwide and provides the strongest evidence to date that CPAP therapy not only alleviates OSA symptoms but can also prolong life, according to a press release from ResMed, which supported the research.

OSA affects over one billion people worldwide,1 with over 80% of cases undiagnosed and untreated.2 This chronic sleep-related breathing disorder can impair daily functioning and has been associated with serious health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.3 The study reinforces that untreated OSA is a major but modifiable risk factor for both all-cause and cardiovascular-related death, highlighting the importance of consistent CPAP use. As the gold standard for OSA treatment, CPAP therapy is widely recognized for its effectiveness. When used correctly, it works overnight and only requires air; no drugs, surgery, or invasive procedures.

“For people with OSA, using CPAP versus not using CPAP can literally be a matter of life or death,” said Carlos Nunez, MD, Resmed’s Chief Medical Officer. “Decades of research have shown CPAP can improve quality of life, and this study now provides the most comprehensive evidence yet that CPAP also prolongs lives for people living with OSA.”

This meta-analysis is the largest of its kind to date, pooling data from over one million OSA patients across 30 studies, including 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 20 real-world evidence studies (RWEs). Researchers analyzed long-term outcomes over the average follow-up period of nearly five years, testing the hypothesis that CPAP therapy reduces both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in OSA patients.

“The results of the study strongly suggest that CPAP therapy is a life-saving intervention for people with OSA,” said Atul Malhotra, MD, senior author of the study, research chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Pulmonologist at UC San Diego Health. “It’s not only about sleep apnea treatment but also about supporting heart health and extending life.”

“These findings should serve as a wake-up call,” added Jean-Louis Pépin, study co-author, Professor of Clinical Physiology at Grenoble University Hospital and Director of the HP2 Laboratory INSERM U1300. “Every additional hour of CPAP treatment translates to improved chance of survival for people living with OSA. Patients who stay on CPAP therapy aren’t just breathing easier at night; they’re potentially adding years to their lives.”


References

  1. Benjafield AV, Ayas NT, Eastwood PR, Heinzer R, Ip MSM, Morrell MJ, Nunez CM, Patel SR, Penzel T, Pépin JL, Peppard PE, Sinha S, Tufik S, Valentine K, Malhotra A. Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis. Lancet Respir Med. 2019 Aug;7(8):687-698. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30198-5. Epub 2019 Jul 9. PMID: 31300334; PMCID: PMC7007763.
  2. Young T, Evans L, Finn L, Palta M. Estimation of the clinically diagnosed proportion of sleep apnea syndrome in middle-aged men and women. Sleep. 1997 ;20(9):705-6
  3. Yeghiazarians Y, Jneid H, Tietjens JR, et al. Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation 2021; 144(3): e56-e67.