Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which a person's breathing stops or becomes irregular during sleep as a result of a collapsed airway. This disrupts healthy sleep and causes a number of short-term and long-lasting effects that threaten health. Previous research has found sleep apnea sufferers are nine times more likely to have diabetes than those without the sleep disorder.

CPAP, the most common treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea, involves wearing a mask that supplies a steady stream of air through the nose during sleep. The airflow keeps the nasal passages open sufficiently to prevent airway collapse.

When CPAP treatment was administered for at least four hours each day, there was a significant reduction in the participants' glucose levels.

"With such clear evidence for the high risk of sleep apnea among patients with Type 2 diabetes, it is encouraging that our data show patients can achieve better control of their glucose levels with CPAP therapy," Herdegen said. Based on the study's results, Herdegen recommends that diabetic patients who exhibit symptoms such as excessive daytime sleepiness and loud, persistent snoring be screened for sleep apnea and seek treatment if the sleep disorder is confirmed.

Approximately 18 million Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, although 90 percent have not been diagnosed.

Source: Diabetes In Control.com: Archives of Internal Medicine, Feb 28. 2005, Drs. James Herdegen, Ambika Babu and Leon Fogelfeld.