Controlling sleep apnea may lessen the risk of recurrent atrial fibrillation episodes.

The review, published in JACC Clinical Electrophysiology, analyzed seven studies that followed more than 1,000 patients with both sleep apnea and recurrent AF. Overall, CPAP reduced AF episodes by 42 percent. And it benefited patients regardless of whether their AF was managed with medication or a catheter ablation procedure.

The downside is that none of the studies was a controlled clinical trial, which offers the best proof of a treatment’s benefits.

Source: Treating Sleep Apnea May Help AF: Health After 50