Sleep disorders involve significant increases in morbidity and mortality, particularly in those over 60 years. Sleep apnea is the leading identifiable cause of hypertension, which is the main cause of cardiovascular disease. Some degree of sleep apnea is present in up to 95% of the elderly. Intraoral mandibular advancement appliances reduce the number of apneas and hypopneas.
We hypothesized that reducing the number of sleep apnea events through oral appliances is effective in preventing high blood pressure and other consequences of sleep apnea in the elderly in the public health system setting. In this superiority parallel, randomized, and double-blinded study we will compare the effect of an intraoral appliance with mandibular advancement to a placebo device without mandibular advancement in preventing high blood pressure and other consequences of sleep apnea in the elderly. The duration of intervention will be of 12 months, with assessments at three, six months, and 12 months.
