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Sleep apnea: Mouthguards less invasive, just as effective as CPAP


Obstructive sleep apnea can cause or contribute to high blood pressure, so a new study examined which sleep apnea treatments – a CPAP machine or a mouthguard that keeps the airways open – was more effective at lowering blood pressure.

Similar to a bite guard, a MAD holds the lower jaw (mandible) and tongue forward, keeping the airway open. MADs are less intrusive, but studies have shown they’re outperformed by CPAP when it comes to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), the number of times airflow fully (apnea) or partially (hypopnea) stops per hour during sleep. “Especially for patients whose blood pressure is hard to control or who have a lot of excessive daytime sleepiness, go see a physician about sleep apnea and get treated if necessary.”

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