Sleep apnea treatment reduces glucose levels among diabetics

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Treatment of sleep apnea by the most common form of therapy has a positive impact on blood glucose levels among diabetics.
In sleep apnea, the person stop breathing many times during the night which leads to various kinds of health problems. It is known that those with sleep apnea are nine times more likely to have diabetes than those who do not have the disorder. In a study, doctors at the University of Illinois at Chicago report how treating sleep apnea can benefit those with diabetes.

They looked at the effect of continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) on people with sleep apnea and diabetes. This showed that four hours treatment with CPAP a day could reduce blood glucose levels, which would have clear benefit for those with diabetes. The researchers suggest that patients with diabetes who exhibit symptoms of sleep apnea like snoring of daytime sleepiness might have the condition treated in case it can improve their diabetes as well.

Source
Archives of Internal Medicine 28th February 2005