Depression in Sleep Apnea Reduced with CPAP Therapy

A new study shows that depressive symptoms are extremely common in people who have obstructive sleep apnea, and these symptoms improve significantly when sleep apnea is treated with continuous positive airway pressure therapy.

Results show that nearly 73% of sleep apnea patients (213 of 293 patients) had clinically significant depressive symptoms at baseline, with a similar symptom prevalence between men and women. These symptoms increased progressively and independently with sleep apnea severity. However, clinically significant depressive symptoms remained in only 4% of the sleep apnea patients who adhered to CPAP therapy for 3 months (9 of 228 patients). 

This article originally appeared on Psychiatry Advisor

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