Two-pronged approach cuts sleep apnea events by 68%
3 days ago
- #medical research
- #sleep apnea
- #respiratory health
- Researchers have found that combining oxygen therapy with a mandibular advancement device (MAD) significantly reduces breathing interruptions in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients.
- OSA affects around one billion people globally and is caused by throat muscle collapse and unstable brain control of breathing.
- The study involved 41 adults with moderate to severe OSA, testing four treatment options: sham, oxygen only, MAD only, and a combination of oxygen and MAD.
- Combination therapy reduced breathing interruptions by 68%, outperforming oxygen alone (33%) and MAD alone (54%).
- The biggest improvements were seen in patients with both airway collapsibility and unstable ventilatory control.
- This two-pronged approach could benefit patients who cannot tolerate CPAP and have multiple underlying causes of OSA.
- The study suggests that targeting multiple causes of OSA simultaneously could offer significant patient benefits, similar to multi-drug approaches for high blood pressure.