Sleep disorder linked to “hardening” of the arteries

Treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with continued positive airway pressure (CPAP) reduces early indications of atherosclerosis (“hardening” of the arteries), according to a study published in October in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Researchers randomized 24 men with severe OSA and no other atherosclerosis risk factors to four months of CPAP or no treatment, and tracked changes in the carotid (neck) arteries and measures of atherosclerosis. Those in the CPAP group experienced significant reductions in arterial thickness and stiffness, along with decreases in C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation associated with greater risk of cardiovascular disease) and catecholamines, compounds that constrict blood vessels and raise blood pressure, the researchers noted.

COPYRIGHT 2007 Belvoir Media Group, LLC
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning