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Therapy boosts sexual function in sleep
disorder patients
Monday June 25, 2012 07:11:19 PM,
IANS
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Washington:
Men who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep related
breathing disorder, are seeing another potential benefit from
continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) -- improved
sexual function and satisfaction in non-diabetic men under 60.
CPAP is the most common and effective treatment for OSA, which
keeps the airway open and restores normal oxygen levels during
sleep. This helps maintain a steady, healthy level of breathing
through the night.
A study out of Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre in
Bethesda, assessed the erectile function (ED) and libido of 92 men
newly diagnosed with OSA, who were starting CPAP therapy.
OSA occurs when the tissue in the back of the throat collapses and
blocks the airway, causing the body to stop breathing during
sleep. OSA can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke,
according to a Walter Reed statement.
ED is common in OSA patients, and nearly half of the men in the
Walter Reed study reported the presence of ED. Patients were
assessed again after one, three and six months of CPAP therapy.
The results show that CPAP improved the sexual function and
satisfaction in the majority of men in the study regardless of
their level of erectile function reported at the very start. Those
with ED had more robust improvements and even many without ED
reported improved sexual function and satisfaction.
"We were surprised at how prevalent ED is in a relatively young
population of men with sleep apnea. The average age was 45," said
Joseph Dombrowsky, the study's primary investigator from Walter
Reed.
"But we were similarly surprised at how robust a clinically
significant response the men had with CPAP therapy."
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