"These results were also surprising," said study author Virginia J. Howard, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and member of the American Academy of Neurology. "One possible explanation for these results is that we did not have information on CPAP adherence. Research shows that those who do not use their CPAP machine as directed are at higher risk of stroke and other problems. We also didn't have information on the severity of sleep apnea. It's possible that those using a CPAP machine had a more severe case and were further along the road to stroke when they were diagnosed."

Read Full Article Opens an external link.