New Global Study Finds: Sleep Apnea Patients Who Use CPAP Live Longer

Rhea-AI Summary

Resmed (NYSE: RMD) announced groundbreaking research published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine showing that CPAP therapy significantly reduces mortality risk in sleep apnea patients. The largest-ever meta-analysis, analyzing over 1 million patients across 30 studies, revealed that CPAP users have a 37% lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 55% lower risk of cardiovascular-related death compared to non-users.

The study demonstrates a dose-response relationship, indicating greater survival benefits with more consistent CPAP use. This research included data from 10 randomized controlled trials and 20 real-world evidence studies, with an average follow-up period of nearly five years.

The findings are particularly significant given that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects over one billion people worldwide, with more than 80% of cases remaining undiagnosed and untreated. The study establishes CPAP therapy as a life-saving intervention that requires only air, without drugs or surgery.

Positive

• Landmark study proves CPAP therapy significantly reduces mortality risk
• Strong evidence of 37% reduction in all-cause mortality for CPAP users
• 55% reduction in cardiovascular-related deaths demonstrates significant clinical benefit
• Large-scale study (1M+ patients) validates CPAP effectiveness
• Findings support continued market leadership in sleep apnea treatment

Negative

• Over 80% of global sleep apnea cases remain undiagnosed, indicating significant market penetration challenges

Insights

Financial Analyst

This landmark meta-analysis represents significant positive development for ResMed's core business model and long-term growth prospects. The research published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine - demonstrating a 37% reduction in all-cause mortality and 55% reduction in cardiovascular death among CPAP users - provides the strongest clinical validation yet for ResMed's primary product line.

The study's findings directly address the substantial untapped market potential, with the article noting that over 80% of the billion-plus people with sleep apnea remain undiagnosed and untreated. This represents a massive addressable market opportunity for ResMed as awareness of these mortality benefits spreads through medical communities.

The demonstrated dose-response relationship between CPAP usage and survival benefits aligns perfectly with ResMed's strategic investment in connected devices and monitoring solutions that track and encourage therapy adherence. This research effectively positions CPAP therapy not just as a quality-of-life improvement but as a life-extending intervention, which could meaningfully influence physician prescribing patterns, insurance coverage decisions, and patient compliance rates.

Publication in The Lancet, with its rigorous peer review process, lends exceptional credibility to these findings despite ResMed's involvement in supporting the research. The scope of the analysis - over 1 million patients across 30 studies - provides compelling statistical power that makes these results difficult to dismiss, potentially reshaping clinical practice guidelines in ResMed's favor.

Largest ever meta-analysis on the long-term benefits of CPAP therapy, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, found that in people with sleep apnea, CPAP therapy lowered the overall chance of dying by 37% and the chance of heart-related death by 55%.

SAN DIEGO, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Resmed (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD), the global leader in health technology focused on sleep, breathing, and care delivered in the home, today announced the publication of a landmark meta-analysis in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, demonstrating that CPAP therapy significantly reduces the risk of death for people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Analyzing data from over 1 million sleep apnea patients worldwide, the study provides the strongest evidence to date that CPAP therapy not only alleviates OSA symptoms but can also prolong life.

OSA affects over one billion people worldwide,¹ with over 80% of cases undiagnosed and untreated.² This chronic sleep-related breathing disorder can impair daily functioning and has been associated with serious health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.³ The study reinforces that untreated OSA is a major but modifiable risk factor for both all-cause and cardiovascular-related death, highlighting the importance of consistent CPAP use. As the gold standard for OSA treatment, CPAP therapy is widely recognized for its effectiveness. When used correctly, it works overnight and only requires air; no drugs, surgery, or invasive procedures.

The study, led by global experts in sleep and respiratory medicine and supported by Resmed, found that people with OSA who use CPAP therapy have:

• A 37% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those with OSA who do not use CPAP.
• A 55% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, reinforcing CPAP’s supportive benefits for heart health in people living with OSA.
• A dose-response relationship, meaning that the more consistently CPAP is used, the greater the survival benefits for people living with OSA.

“For people with OSA, using CPAP versus not using CPAP can literally be a matter of life or death,” said Carlos Nunez, M.D., Resmed’s Chief Medical Officer. “Decades of research have shown CPAP can improve quality of life, and this study now provides the most comprehensive evidence yet that CPAP also prolongs lives for people living with OSA.”

This meta-analysis is the largest of its kind to date, pooling data from over 1 million OSA patients across 30 studies, including 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 20 real-world evidence studies (RWEs). Researchers analyzed long-term outcomes over the average follow-up period of nearly five years, testing the hypothesis that CPAP therapy reduces both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in OSA patients.

"The results of the study strongly suggest that CPAP therapy is a life-saving intervention for people with OSA,” said Atul Malhotra, M.D, senior author of the study, Research Chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Pulmonologist at UC San Diego Health. “It’s not only about sleep apnea treatment but also about supporting heart health and extending life.”

“These findings should serve as a wake-up call,” added Jean-Louis Pépin, study co-author, Professor of Clinical Physiology at Grenoble University Hospital and Director of the HP2 Laboratory INSERM U1300. “Every additional hour of CPAP treatment translates to improved chance of survival for people living with OSA. Patients who stay on CPAP therapy aren’t just breathing easier at night; they’re potentially adding years to their lives.”

To read the full study, see the publication in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
To learn more about how life-changing CPAP therapy can be, visit www.resmed.com/video-story-gallery.

Study authors: Adam V. Benjafield PhD; Prof Jean-Louis Pepin; Prof Peter A. Cistulli; Alison Wimms PhD; Florent Lavergne MSc; Fatima H. Sert Kuniyoshi PhD, Sibyl H. Munson PhD, Brendan Schuler BS; Shrikar Reddy Badikol MSc; Kelly C. Wolfe BS; Leslee Willes MPH; Colleen Kelly PhD; Tetyana Kendzerska MD; Dayna A. Johnson PhD; Prof Raphael Heinzer MD, Prof Chi-Hang Lee MD, Prof Atul Malhotra MD.

About Resmed

Resmed (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD) creates life-changing health technologies that people love. We’re relentlessly committed to pioneering innovative technology to empower millions of people in 140 countries to live happier, healthier lives. Our AI-powered digital health solutions, cloud-connected devices and intelligent software make home healthcare more personalized, accessible and effective. Ultimately, Resmed envisions a world where every person can achieve their full potential through better sleep and breathing, with care delivered in their own home. Learn more about how we’re redefining sleep health at Resmed.com and follow @Resmed.

For Media		For Investors
Caela Shay		Mike Ott or Wendy Wilson
news@resmed.com		investorrelations@resmed.com

---

¹ Benjafield AV, Ayas NT, Eastwood PR, Heinzer R, Ip MSM, Morrell MJ, Nunez CM, Patel SR, Penzel T, Pépin JL, Peppard PE, Sinha S, Tufik S, Valentine K, Malhotra A. Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis. Lancet Respir Med. 2019 Aug;7(8):687-698. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30198-5. Epub 2019 Jul 9. PMID: 31300334; PMCID: PMC7007763.
² Young T, Evans L, Finn L, Palta M. Estimation of the clinically diagnosed proportion of sleep apnea syndrome in middle-aged men and women. Sleep. 1997 ;20(9):705-6
³ Yeghiazarians Y, Jneid H, Tietjens JR, et al. Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation 2021; 144(3): e56-e67.

FAQ

What are the mortality reduction rates shown in Resmed's (RMD) latest CPAP study?

The study showed CPAP therapy reduced all-cause mortality by 37% and cardiovascular-related death by 55% in sleep apnea patients.

How many patients were included in Resmed's (RMD) CPAP meta-analysis?

The meta-analysis included data from over 1 million sleep apnea patients across 30 studies.

What is the current global prevalence of sleep apnea according to Resmed's study?

Over one billion people worldwide have sleep apnea, with more than 80% of cases undiagnosed and untreated.

How long was the follow-up period in Resmed's (RMD) CPAP mortality study?

The average follow-up period was nearly five years across all studies included in the meta-analysis.

What type of studies were included in Resmed's (RMD) CPAP meta-analysis?

The analysis included 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 20 real-world evidence studies (RWEs).