
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- For sufferers of sleep apnea, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines may guard against having a second heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular crisis, but they have to use it consistently, a new study finds. CPAP works by keeping your airways open during sleep, but because it requires wearing a mask, many people find it uncomfortable so they don't keep it on the amount of time needed to protect against heart problems. CPAP needs to be used at least four hours a night, and preferably six hours, to effectively prevent second strokes or heart attacks, experts say. "This is the first analysis that, based on existing trials, demonstrates that the use of CPAP is associated with a 31% reduction in the risk of having a second heart...