Surgery that moves both jaws forward—known as maxillomandibular advancement (MMA)—is a significantly effective and safe treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), resulting in benefits that include improved breathing, daytime wakefulness and quality of life, as well as a lower cardiovascular risk, according to a new study.

MMA should be regarded as the preferred treatment for patients with moderate to severe OSA who cannot stick with the treatment of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or declined CPAP as a long-term treatment, researchers concluded in the study published in the February issue of the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery—the official journal of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS).

During OSA, airway muscles, large tonsils, the tongue, or excess tissue obstruct the airway, resulting in breathing dangerously stopping and starting during sleep. The condition can result in excessive daytime sleepiness, lower quality of life, and impaired cognitive function that impacts daily activities. The sleep disorder is associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. CPAP, the standard accepted therapy for OSA, blows air to keep the

The amount of time you sleep, including daytime naps, is linked to your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and death, according to a study of over 116,000 people in 7 regions of the world, published in the European Heart Journal.

The researchers found that people who slept for longer than the recommended duration of 6 to 8 hours a day had an increased risk of dying or developing diseases of the heart or blood vessels in the brain. Compared to people who slept for the recommended time, those who slept a total of 8 to 9 hours a day had a 5% increased risk; people sleeping between 9 and 10 hours a day had an increased risk of 17% and those sleeping more than ten hours a day had a 41% increased risk. They also found a 9% increased risk for people who slept a total of 6 or fewer hours, but this finding was not statistically significant.

Before adjusting for factors that might affect the results, the researchers found that for every 1000 people sleeping six or fewer

Researchers say they are closer to solving the mystery of how a good night’s sleep protects against heart disease. In studies using mice, they discovered a previously unknown mechanism between the brain, bone marrow, and blood vessels that appears to protect against the development of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries—but only when sleep is healthy and sound. The study, funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, will appear in the journal Nature.

The discovery of this pathway underscores the importance of getting enough quality sleep to maintain cardiovascular health and could provide new targets for fighting heart disease, the leading cause of death among women and men in the United States, the researchers say.

“We’ve identified a mechanism by which a brain hormone controls production of inflammatory cells in the bone marrow in a way that helps protect the blood vessels from damage,” says Filip Swirski, PhD, the study’s lead author who also is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, in a release.

Sleep diagnostics company Itamar Medical Ltd has entered into a digital education partnership with CardioVisual to educate cardiovascular patients and physicians on the importance of diagnosing and treating sleep apnea to improve patient outcomes and streamline cardiology practice workflow.

Obstructive sleep apnea has been shown to increase the risk for stroke, sudden cardiac death and cardiovascular mortality.  The treatment of obstructive sleep apnea has also been shown to reduce AFib recurrence post ablation. The educational program is delivered through CardioVisual, a multimedia interactive heart health app created by cardiologists for both healthcare professionals and patients. Through the interactive app, videos describe the importance of diagnosing and treating sleep apnea and the clinical benefits of Itamar Medical’s WatchPAT home sleep apnea testing device.

“There are an estimated 36 million cardiovascular patients who have undiagnosed sleep apnea, putting them at further risk for cardiovascular mortality. Itamar Medical’s WatchPAT technology is recognized within the US cardiology community as a simple and reliable tool to accurately diagnose sleep apnea at home,” says Gilad Glick, president and CEO of Itamar Medical, in a release. “The

Do your part to reduce sleep-related risk factors for the top 10 health threat of noncommunicable diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has ranked noncommunicable diseases as one of the top 10 health threats in the world for 2019.¹ Defined as chronic diseases resulting from a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioral factors, noncommunicable diseases cause 15 million premature deaths each year of people who are between 30- and 69-years-old, the WHO states. Cardiovascular diseases account for the most deaths, followed by cancers, respiratory diseases, and diabetes. Among many things, this year WHO will work with governments worldwide to help them meet the global target of reducing physical inactivity by 15% by 2030.

Closer to home, sleep professionals can do their part to reduce sleep-related risk factors for these chronic and deadly diseases. Here are some places to start.

Familiarize yourself with the literature on the links between sleep disorders and the most deadly noncommunicable diseases. An easy way to do this is to sign up for a free NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) account at