Untreated sleep apnea nearly doubles the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, but a common treatment can significantly reduce that danger, according to research published in November.
Among millions of people with obstructive sleep apnea, those who did not treat the condition with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)—a machine that helps people with sleep apnea breathe while they sleep—were nearly twice as likely to have Parkinson’s disease as those who used the device, even after accounting for factors such as obesity, age, and high blood pressure.
