Many people with sleep apnea use CPAP machines, which aren’t harmful to people with atrial fibrillation and don’t increase the risk of developing this heart problem.
A device called a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is one of the most common treatments for sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a common but serious medical condition where people stop breathing for brief periods of time during the night. This condition can damage your body, but CPAP can help you get oxygen overnight to help prevent complications, including heart-related problems like atrial fibrillation (AFib).
This article will provide more detail about how CPAP machines can help with sleep apnea and reduce the risk of AFib and what you might want to consult your healthcare team about when managing these health issues.
CPAP machines have not been shown to trigger AFib. In this
That means that CPAP machines could be an effective treatment for AFib.
However, sleep apnea does have a connection to heart rhythm irregularities, including AFib. People with sleep apnea are at
There’s no evidence that CPAP machines make AFib worse.
As a rule, treating sleep apnea will lower your risk of heart-related complications, including AFib. CPAP machines have been specifically studied in connection to AFib, and the results do not show that these machines make AFib worse.
Some research found that CPAP use did not help AFib, but it was not found to make it worse, either. It was instead found to have no effect at all.
Some studies have looked at people who use CPAP machines and have AFib. Results of some of these studies have shown that the use of CPAP machines could lower the risk of additional AFib episodes.
A CPAP machine won’t directly treat AFib, but it can reduce the symptoms associated with sleep apnea. Many of these symptoms are linked to a risk of AFib, including:
- interrupted sleep
- inflammation
- low oxygen levels
Additionally, AFib treatments can be less effective if you’re not getting a good night’s sleep. Since a CPAP machine helps people with sleep apnea sleep through the night, it can also help medications and other AFib treatments work.
This means that even if it’s not directly helping AFib, the CPAP machine can still be an important part of AFib treatment.
Often, people with sleep apnea and AFib receive treatment for both of their conditions.
A combined treatment plan can help you manage symptoms and avoid future complications. Exact treatments can vary and will depend on factors such as your lifestyle, overall health, and how you respond to medications.
A CPAP machine, along with medications to treat your AFib, is typically the first line of treatment, but they won’t work for everyone. There are other options for both sleep apnea and AFib that might be better for you.
Treating sleep apnea on its own is serious and should always be continued unless a doctor tells you to stop. Although it’s easy to think of sleep apnea as simply snoring or poor sleep, it’s actually a serious medical condition that can lead to severe health complications.
A CPAP machine is the most common treatment for sleep apnea. Many people with sleep apnea also have AFib. In fact, sleep apnea can increase the risk of AFib.
However, a CPAP machine isn’t harmful to people with AFib, and it doesn’t increase the risk of developing it. In studies, CPAP machines have been linked to improvements in AFib and a reduction in risk.
Additionally, CPAP machines help people with sleep apnea get a full night’s sleep, and sleep has been shown to help AFib treatments work more effectively.
A CPAP machine isn’t the right treatment for everyone with sleep apnea and AFib, but it’s a safe treatment for both conditions.