Diabetes Health in The News: Treating Sleep Apnea Benefits Blood Sugar & Heart Health

A study done on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) shows that treating the disorder can benefit blood sugar levels and heart health. Dr. Jonathan Jun and his team from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore conducted the study, which shows that those who do not regularly use a CPAP machine to assist with breathing may be more at risk of diabetes and heart issues. There were 31 participants in this study, all of whom had at least moderate OSA, used a CPAP machine regularly, and were categorized as obese. This was a change from previous studies in which some participants may not have used a CPAP machine during the study.

Researchers had participants sleep for two nights in a lab. During one night, they used a CPAP machine, while they did not the second night. Blood samples were obtained regularly throughout the night, providing real-time data. During the night patients did not use the CPAP, the amount of oxygen in the blood was lower and the levels of sugar, fatty acids, and cortisol were elevated. These results advance the theory that OSA and other conditions may influence diabetes and heart diseases rather than simple obesity.

These findings were published in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism on June 8, 2017.

One thought on “Diabetes Health in The News: Treating Sleep Apnea Benefits Blood Sugar & Heart Health

  • July 11, 2017 at 12:53 pm
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    31 patients is not enough to predict diabetes from sleep apnea as suggested. A much larger study than that is needed, perhaps in combination with other sleep centers? I have T1D. I assume anyone in your study with pre-diabetes or diabetes was type 2, correct?

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