A study in the March issue of SLEEP shows that patients with sleep apnea were nearly 2.5 times more likely to be the driver in a motor vehicle accident. However, the incidence of motor vehicle accidents was reduced by 70 percent among sleep apnea patients who used continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for an average of at least 4 hours per night. This is the first evidence that good CPAP adherence is associated with reduced motor vehicle accident risk, notes an editorial about the study.


Read the study: Sleep Apnea Related Risk of Motor Vehicle Accidents is Reduced by Continuous Positive Airway Pressure: Swedish Traffic Accident Registry Data

Read the editorial: Who Needs Sleep Apnea Treatment for Safety Critical Tasks – Are We There Yet?

Read the press release: Risk of motor vehicle accidents is higher in people with sleep apnea