CPAP for OSA can lower the risk of car accidents

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is the repetitive closure of the upper airway in sleep. OSA is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, atrial fibrillation (AF), and motor vehicle accidents. The mainstay of treatment is with CPAP (Continuous Positive Airways Pressure).

A Swedish study looked at motor vehicle accident rates in people with untreated OSA and those with OSA whilst on CPAP treatment. Karimi et al¹ then compared these rates with the general population as provided by the Swedish Traffic Accident Registry.

The two major conclusions they came to:

• Untreated OSA increases your risk of car accidents.
• Using CPAP for OSA decreases the risk.

What also came out of the study is that the correlation between severity of OSA and accident risk was not linear; suggesting that it’s more than just how severe the OSA is.

If you think you may have an undiagnosed and undertreated OSA, speak to one of our sleep specialists today.

References

(1) Karimi et al. Sleep. 2015.

Associated link on Adelaide Sleep https://adelaidesleep.com.au/cpap-for-osa-can-lower-the-risk-of-car-accidents/