Cardiovascular and Hematologic Risks of Untreated Sleep Apnea

Cardiovascular Risks

Untreated sleep apnea is an independent risk factor for stroke, with a meta-analysis of 5 prospective studies showing an odds ratio of 2.24 (95% CI, 1.57-3.19) for incident stroke risk 2
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recognizes sleep apnea as an independent risk factor for hypertension, which is associated with difficult-to-control blood pressure 1, 5
Untreated sleep apnea increases the risk of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine 1, 5
Severe untreated sleep apnea is associated with a 3-fold increased risk of fatal cardiovascular events (adjusted OR 2.87; 95% CI, 1.17-7.51) 4

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine states that sleep apnea is associated with impaired glucose control and increased risk for diabetes 1

CPAP treatment significantly reduces cardiovascular risk in sleep apnea patients, with a reduced risk of vascular events (adjusted HR of 0.34; 95% CI, 0.20-0.58) 4

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends considering sleep apnea in patients with difficult-to-control hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, history of stroke or TIA, and type 2 diabetes 1