CPAP therapy for sleep apnea may help lower Parkinson's risk

[JayPwP]

Is it possible that CPAP may improve PD symptoms?

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

People with obstructive sleep apnea may have a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, but early use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy could help lower that risk.

A large-scale study of veterans found that those who began CPAP treatment within 2 years of their diagnosis had fewer cases of Parkinson’s compared to those who delayed or did not use the therapy.

The findings, which will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 77th Annual Meeting, highlight the potential benefits of early intervention for sleep apnea patients.

[JayPwP]

CPAP improves cognition in patients with Parkinson’s disease, obstructive sleep apnea

healio.com/news/pulmonology...

[Boscoejean]

"However, the researchers warned that these numbers might be affected by other factors, such as age, smoking history, and differences in how long people lived in each group."

[JayPwP in reply to Boscoejean]

I think the benefits outweigh the risks, if any.

[Boscoejean in reply to JayPwP]

I hope it works.

[Discogs_discogs]

Wow. Interesting!

[JayPwP in reply to Discogs_discogs]

Yup... Same here!!!

[hmm777]

Your mileage may vary, of course, but I have found my CPAP to be tremendously helpful. It is one of three interventions that I can say have made an objectively verifiable difference in my Parkinson's symptoms, the others being carbidopa/levodopa and testosterone replacement therapy.

[JayPwP in reply to hmm777]

Worth trying? Could you detail your improvement observations?

[azure64 in reply to hmm777]

agreed! like my AMEX, i don’t leave home without it😉! whether traveling or at home, it allows me to sleep well for 8-10 hours. btw, i bought mine on amazon for snoring which was keeping my spouse awake, not apnea, and it stopped the snoring cold…..double benefit.

[wrnosek in reply to azure64]

What is the AMEX?

[azure64 in reply to wrnosek]

stupid commercial that aired years ago for American Express. Their slogan was ‘don’t leave home without it!’

[wrnosek in reply to azure64]

Got it! I thought maybe that is what it might have meant but wasn't sure. Another question, what did you buy on Amazon for snoring? Thanks!

[azure64 in reply to wrnosek]

it’s called the dream sleep machine. it’s a cpap that didn’t need a prescription. i got it during covid, so not sure they are still so lenient.

[hmm777]

Yes, it's definitely worth getting tested to see if you have even slight sleep apnea. I was fortunate that one of the sleep neurologists in the medical group that includes my MDS was looking into whether CPAP treatment would be beneficial for PD patients even if they do not have what is usually considered treatable apnea. My MDS referred me to her for a sleep study after I reported severe fatigue and daytime sleepiness. I resisted because the idea of sleeping with a mask sounded awful, but he was persistent.

The tests showed slight apnea, on the threshold at which they recommend a CPAP. The sleep neuro encouraged me to give it a try for a month, and the results were fantastic. I went from sleeping a few hours and then waking to insomnia for the rest of the night to sleeping 8+ uninterrupted hours almost every night. The improvements in energy, mood, and alertness are significant, more than enough for me to be sure that they are not placebo (just the additional sleep is really enough for that).

My sleep neurologist thinks that the additional oxygen provided by the positive pressure of the CPAP is restorative, above and beyond any benefit conferred by treating very mild apnea like mine. I don't know if that's what's behind the effect or not, but the effect itself is undeniable for me. I have encouraged two others -- one with PD and one without, both with terrible insomnia -- to try a CPAP. Both had similarly "borderline" treatable apnea, and both are now sleeping about 8 hours a night and seeing significant benefits.

[JayPwP in reply to hmm777]

Do you have the humidifier variant or just the normal one? I will not be doing a sleep study, will directly rent a CPAP for a week or two for testing.

[hmm777]

Mine has the humidifier component. The respiratory supply company my neurologist uses only offers one model, and it has the humidifier component. I didn't use it at first, but over the winter when the forced air heat drastically lowers the humidity, I found it helpful and now use it all the time.