Enhanced PAP adherence improves cardio outcomes

SAN DIEGO - PAP adherence reduces cardiovascular related health events (CVRHU) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea, according to a new study published in Sleep and supported by Resmed. The study analyzed insurance claims linked with objective PAP usage data from patients diagnosed with OSA who initiated PAP between 2015-2021. Two-year PAP adherence was defined as adherent, intermediate or non-adherent based on Medicare criteria. CVRHU was defined as emergency room (ER) visits, hospitalizations or either (“serious cardiovascular-related event”), with primary diagnoses of stroke, heart failure, coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy or hypertension. Over two years, 75% of patients were at least intermediately adherent to PAP (25% non-adherent). Adherent patients were significantly less likely to have a serious cardiovascular-related event compared to non-adherent (4.09% vs 5.22%, P< 0.001), representing a 22% lower risk of having an event. Total health care costs per patient were significantly lower for adherent patients compared to non-adherent (year 1: $9,748 vs $10,861, P=0.014; year 2: $9,102 vs $9,847, P< 0.001). Associated costs aligned with the frequency of events, with adherent patients incurring significantly lower costs compared to intermediate and non-adherent patients in the first year and further reductions in year 2 (year 1: adherent: $182 vs intermediate: $230 vs non-adherent: $257, P< 0.001; year 2: adherent: $166 vs intermediate: $237 vs non-adherent: $267, P< 0.001). These findings underscore the importance of strategies to enhance PAP adherence to improve long-term cardiovascular outcomes, researchers say.