A 2019 study has found that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may improve depression symptoms in individuals living with cardiovascular conditions.
The study analyzed data from the Sleep Apnea Cardiovascular Endpoints trial conducted by Flinders University and found that there was a reduction in cases of depression after patients began treating their sleep apnea with CPAP.
The study was the largest of its kind and one of the few studies to report such benefits.
The benefits revealed in the study occurred in patients with cardiovascular conditions and moderate to severe cases of OSA. Researchers found that using CPAP could help to prevent depression as well as improve sleep quality.
Individuals living with cardiovascular conditions such as stroke or heart disease were likely to experience mood disorders and had a higher risk of developing clinical depression. An increased risk of depression is dangerous and can increase the risk of future strokes and heart attacks.
Up to half of the individuals with cardiovascular disease have OSA.
“OSA can put tremendous strain on the body, including the heart,” said Dr. David Buck, a Seattle epigenetic orthodontist.
The Flinders team followed study participants for an average of 3.7 years and found that CPAP greatly reduced the symptoms of depression compared with those with cardiovascular disease and depression who were not treated for OSA.
On average, improvements in depressive symptoms were seen within six months and were sustained during CPAP treatment.
This is not the first study to examine depression and sleep apnea.
A 2019 study from the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University revealed a link between treatment-resistant depression and obstructive sleep apnea.
“Mood changes are common among individuals living with OSA. When you’re tired, you’re not going to feel your best physically or emotionally,” Buck said.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that affects around 22 million Americans each year.
“Many of these individuals are undiagnosed for sleep apnea but experience symptoms of depression and anxiety,” Buck said.
Source: Flinders University. “CPAP provides relief from depression: Additional benefit for sleep apnea sufferers.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 1 July 2019.
