Sleep Apnea Treatment May Help Lower Diabetes Risk for Some
May-07-2015

Treating sleep apnea may help people with slightly elevated blood sugar levels lower their risk of developing diabetes, according to a new study.

"Assessment of sleep apnea should be considered in patients at high risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, since our study shows that treatment of sleep apnea can reduce these risks," the study's senior author, Dr. Esra Tasali, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, said in a university news release.

People with higher-than-normal blood sugar levels who don't yet have diabetes are considered to have pre-diabetes. This condition affects about 57 million Americans, according to the researchers.

Many people with pre-diabetes also have untreated sleep apnea -- a sleep disorder that causes the upper airway to close repeatedly during the night, disrupting sleep and temporarily reducing oxygen levels. Like diabetes, sleep apnea is common among overweight and obese people. It's also linked with greater risk for heart disease and diabetes, the researchers said.

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