CPAP in sleep apnea patients tied to reduced complication in heart failure patients
Researchers have found in a new study that Heart failure patients more adherent to positive airway pressure therapy for concomitant obstructive sleep apnea have fewer hospital and emergency room visits. This could also be potential savings for the health care system. This study is published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
The study has addressed that strategies for optimising adherence to positive airway pressure prove beneficial in such patients.
In heart failure patients, a common comorbidity is Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). More data must be collected on the potential benefits of treating OSA with PAP in heart failure patients.
Investigating further, researchers used administrative insurance claims linked data.
The study summary is as follows:
- There were 3182 patients in the study.
- There were 69.9% male of mean age of 59.7 years.
- 39% were adherent to PAP therapy. The percentage of intermediate adherent and nonadherent were 29 % and 31 %, respectively.
- Following one year of PAP initiation, adherent patients had fewer composite visits.
- The emergency room visits were reduced by 24% for adherent patients.
- There were lower Composite visit costs in adherent patients compared to nonadherent patients, with values of $3500 versus $5879, respectively.
Concluding further, they said PAP therapy adherence reduces healthcare resource utilization. More consideration should be on diagnosing and effectively treating OSA with PAP in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction.
The strengths of the study were the large heterogeneous population of patients, real‐world design, robust statistical methods, and clinically important outcomes
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