Hello,
Thanks for the D2D. This is very discerning of you. Yes. There are a lot of scientific evidence that CPAP is not useful in a real life setting.
CPAP is only effective as long as you keep the mask on your face. There are many issues and problems with CPAP, like compliance , mask air leak, inadequate pressures, or even too high pressures.
Scientific studies show that CPAP may not be as efficacious as surgery. Weaver et al (2004) compared 18,000 CPAP users and 2,000 OSA patients who had surgery done and followed up for 6 years. They found that CPAP users had died faster than those OSA patients who had surgery. Implication: OSA patients who had surgery lived longer.
Recent study from Adelaide (2016) published in the New England Journal of Medicine, compared 1300 OSA patients on CPAP and 1300 OSA patients who had no treatment. They found that after 8 years both groups with or without CPAP treatment had the same incidence of strokes, heart attacks or heart failure. Implication: CPAP treatment was as good as no treatment.
Most recent study from Korea (published in Sleep Medicine journal, 2018) compared 22,000 OSA patients who had surgery and 170,000 patients who were not treated. After 7 years, they found that the 22,000 OSA patients who had surgery survived longer and had less heart failure than the 170,000 patients who were not treated. Implication: OSA patients who had surgery had less risk of cardiovascular complications.
