Weight loss 'can help oxygen therapy patients with sleep apnoea'
Those using oxygen therapy to help battle sleep apnoea may want to lose weight to support the treatment.
According to a study from the Karolinska Institutet, published in the British Medical Journal, shedding excess pounds can help improve moderate to severe sleep apnoea.
The scientists examined 63 obese men aged between 30 and 65 and those who lost an average of 19 kilos had fewer apnoea episodes, which may interest those already using oxygen therapy to combat the condition.
Kari Johansson, one of the researchers involved in the study, said: "Our findings suggest that weight loss may be an effective treatment strategy for sleep apnoea in obese men."
Those who suffer from moderate or severe sleep apnoea may want to embrace oxygen therapy and weight loss to battle the condition, as there is a risk those with it are at a higher risk of motor vehicle crashes and heart disease, the scientists added.
People most at risk of sleep apnoea are middle-aged men who take a size 17 collar or more, according to the Sleep Apnoea Trust.
Posted by Daniel Ohio
08/12/2009 22:19:20
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