Key Takeaways

After falling asleep while driving multiple times and waking up in the middle of the night gasping for breath, Linda Erickson tells Verywell she knew something was wrong. “I’d been a snorer for years, but this was so scary.” In 2008, at age 47, she was diagnosed withsleep apneaand has been usingcontinuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapyto treat and manage her condition since.

“I think CPAP users should be considered as being high risk for COVID-19 and offered the vaccine in the 1c group,” she says.

Ultimately, Erickson, a special education teacher who also has high blood pressure, received her COVID-19 vaccine because of her essential worker status, which is prioritized in phase 1b in Illinois. Her husband, who is also a CPAP user, along withmanyothers with sleep apnea, are still waiting and wondering where they fall in line for the vaccine.

CDC Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccine AllocationPhase 1a.healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residentsPhase 1b.persons 75 years and older and frontline essential workersPhase 1c.persons 65–74 years old, persons 16–64 years old with high-risk medical conditions, and other essential workersPhase 2.all persons 16 years and older not previously recommended for vaccination

CDC Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation

Phase 1a.healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residentsPhase 1b.persons 75 years and older and frontline essential workersPhase 1c.persons 65–74 years old, persons 16–64 years old with high-risk medical conditions, and other essential workersPhase 2.all persons 16 years and older not previously recommended for vaccination

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Might Make COVID-19 Worse, Study Finds

An Unrecognized Risk Factor for COVID-19 Complications

In January 2021, the results of aBMJstudy confirmed OSA as an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19 hospitalization.Another study, published in November 2020, found patients with sleep apnea had an increased rate of COVID-related death.

Jody Tate, MD, a board-certified sleep medicine specialist in Oregon, tells Verywell this research highlights the importance of improved efforts to recognize sleep apnea in patients with COVID-19 infection. “Untreated obstructive sleep apnea can also increase risk for stroke, heart attacks, hypertension, dementia, and cardiac arrhythmias,” she says. “These serious diseases also increase a persons’ risk for worse outcomes if they get COVID-19.”

The Health Effects of Sleep Apnea

Tate says it’s unclear why exactly OSA is a risk factor for worsening outcomes with COVID-19, but she suspects it is potentially due to the baseline level of inflammation people with OSA have in their bodies.

If You’ve Had COVID-19, Consider Replacing Your CPAP Supplies

TheAmerican Academy of Sleep Medicine(AASM) recommends sleep apnea patients who have already had COVID-19 consider replacing their CPAP tubing, filters, and/or mask given the lack of data regarding the possibility of reinfection.

What Is a CPAP Machine?A CPAP machine is designed to use positive airway pressure to keep the airway open during sleep reducing instances of sleep apnea events and snoring while improving respiration. Users wear a face mask and receive pressurized air from a connected hose. It is considered the gold standard treatment for those diagnosed with sleep disorders.

What Is a CPAP Machine?

A CPAP machine is designed to use positive airway pressure to keep the airway open during sleep reducing instances of sleep apnea events and snoring while improving respiration. Users wear a face mask and receive pressurized air from a connected hose. It is considered the gold standard treatment for those diagnosed with sleep disorders.

Companies likeAeroflow Healthcareare in-network with Medicare, Medicaid, and most private insurance providers and can work with both your primary and supplemental or secondary insurance to save you unnecessary out-of-pocket fees on CPAP supplies whenever possible. On their website, Aeroflow recommends the following:

Study: CPAP Therapy May Help Treat Early-Stage COVID-19

Home Sleep Apnea Testing During COVID-19

Tate recommends that people with poor COVID-19 outcomes be evaluated for sleep apnea to help get to the root of their illness. But testing doesn’t need to be reserved for people who’ve already contracted COVID-19. Anyone with signs of OSA should consider getting screened for the condition in order to prevent complications down the line. In fact, the evaluation is something that can be done at home.

Before the pandemic, sleep studies typically occurred in a lab. However, many sleep centers are now dispensing home sleep apnea test (HSAT) units through mail delivery or using a curbside pickup and return.

A HSAT will calculate the number of sleep apnea events—breathing pauses plus the number of periods of shallow breathing—a person has per hour while sleeping.

Many sleep specialists, like Tate, are using telehealth to ensure proper set-up of the HSAT, answer patient questions and concerns, and provide follow-up.

Who Is Most At Risk?

“The stereotype for sleep apnea [patients] has been the obese Caucasian man, but the condition does not discriminate,” Amdur says.

In a December 2020 commentary published inU.S. News and World Report, Alejandra C. Lastra, MD, points out certain populations—including African Americans and Hispanics—are disproportionately affected with OSA. “Women, even if they have classic symptoms like snoring and sleepiness, are often underdiagnosed and less likely to be referred for evaluation and treatment, despite evidence of health-related risks,” Lastra writes.

Right now, Tate says the main question she is getting from her sleep apnea patients is where and when they can get their vaccines. “I like to bring up the vaccine during my patient visits so I can address any concerns that they may have and provide education,” she says. “Most are excited to get it and want to be vaccinated as soon as possible; they realize that this is our way forward.”

What This Means For YouIf you or a family member has signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, talk to your healthcare provider. Most insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid, are covering home sleep apnea testing during the pandemic. Not only can treating sleep apnea improve your health, research shows it can decrease your risk of poor COVID-19 outcomes.

What This Means For You

If you or a family member has signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, talk to your healthcare provider. Most insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid, are covering home sleep apnea testing during the pandemic. Not only can treating sleep apnea improve your health, research shows it can decrease your risk of poor COVID-19 outcomes.

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19: People with Certain Medical Conditions.Deering S, Pratap A, Suver C.et al.Real-world longitudinal data collected from the SleepHealth mobile app study.Sci Data2020;7(1):418. doi:10.1038/s41597-020-00753-2Benjafield AV, Ayas NT, Eastwood PR, et al.Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis.Lancet Respir Med. 2019;7(8):687-698. doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30198-5Strausz S, Kiiskinen T, Broberg M, et al.Sleep apnoea is a risk factor for severe COVID-19.BMJ Open Respiratory Research. 2021;8:e000845. doi:10.1136/bmjresp-2020-000845Cade BE, Dashti HS, Hassan SM, Redline S, Karlson EW.Sleep apnea and COVID-19 mortality and hospitalization.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020;202(10):1462-1464. doi:10.1164/rccm.202006-2252LEAmerican Academy of Sleep Medicine.COVID-19: FAQs for Sleep Clinicians.American Academy of Sleep Medicine.AASM releases position statement on home sleep apnea testing.

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19: People with Certain Medical Conditions.Deering S, Pratap A, Suver C.et al.Real-world longitudinal data collected from the SleepHealth mobile app study.Sci Data2020;7(1):418. doi:10.1038/s41597-020-00753-2Benjafield AV, Ayas NT, Eastwood PR, et al.Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis.Lancet Respir Med. 2019;7(8):687-698. doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30198-5Strausz S, Kiiskinen T, Broberg M, et al.Sleep apnoea is a risk factor for severe COVID-19.BMJ Open Respiratory Research. 2021;8:e000845. doi:10.1136/bmjresp-2020-000845Cade BE, Dashti HS, Hassan SM, Redline S, Karlson EW.Sleep apnea and COVID-19 mortality and hospitalization.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020;202(10):1462-1464. doi:10.1164/rccm.202006-2252LEAmerican Academy of Sleep Medicine.COVID-19: FAQs for Sleep Clinicians.American Academy of Sleep Medicine.AASM releases position statement on home sleep apnea testing.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19: People with Certain Medical Conditions.Deering S, Pratap A, Suver C.et al.Real-world longitudinal data collected from the SleepHealth mobile app study.Sci Data2020;7(1):418. doi:10.1038/s41597-020-00753-2Benjafield AV, Ayas NT, Eastwood PR, et al.Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis.Lancet Respir Med. 2019;7(8):687-698. doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30198-5Strausz S, Kiiskinen T, Broberg M, et al.Sleep apnoea is a risk factor for severe COVID-19.BMJ Open Respiratory Research. 2021;8:e000845. doi:10.1136/bmjresp-2020-000845Cade BE, Dashti HS, Hassan SM, Redline S, Karlson EW.Sleep apnea and COVID-19 mortality and hospitalization.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020;202(10):1462-1464. doi:10.1164/rccm.202006-2252LEAmerican Academy of Sleep Medicine.COVID-19: FAQs for Sleep Clinicians.American Academy of Sleep Medicine.AASM releases position statement on home sleep apnea testing.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19: People with Certain Medical Conditions.

Deering S, Pratap A, Suver C.et al.Real-world longitudinal data collected from the SleepHealth mobile app study.Sci Data2020;7(1):418. doi:10.1038/s41597-020-00753-2

Benjafield AV, Ayas NT, Eastwood PR, et al.Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis.Lancet Respir Med. 2019;7(8):687-698. doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30198-5

Strausz S, Kiiskinen T, Broberg M, et al.Sleep apnoea is a risk factor for severe COVID-19.BMJ Open Respiratory Research. 2021;8:e000845. doi:10.1136/bmjresp-2020-000845

Cade BE, Dashti HS, Hassan SM, Redline S, Karlson EW.Sleep apnea and COVID-19 mortality and hospitalization.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020;202(10):1462-1464. doi:10.1164/rccm.202006-2252LE

American Academy of Sleep Medicine.COVID-19: FAQs for Sleep Clinicians.

American Academy of Sleep Medicine.AASM releases position statement on home sleep apnea testing.

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