Overlap of sleep apnea and COPD and its heart effects
Official title: The cardiovascular consequences of sleep apnea plus COPD (Overlap syndrome)
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11391269 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how having both COPD and sleep apnea affects the heart and whether treating sleep apnea can improve heart risk in people with overlap syndrome.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $751,758 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL166485-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391269 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21+ with COPD, obstructive sleep apnea, or both, especially those with evidence of cardiovascular risk.
✕Less likely to help
Those without overlap syndrome or without cardiovascular risk markers may be less likely to benefit from the findings.
What this research studies
If you have COPD and sleep apnea (overlap syndrome), this project will compare people with just one condition to those with both, checking blood markers and heart imaging to understand the added risk. The researchers will measure endothelial function, cardiac MRI findings, and blood biomarkers like microRNAs to see how overlap syndrome changes cardiovascular risk. They already have data suggesting that treating sleep apnea can affect heart risk in this group and will build on that to uncover mechanisms and potential reversibility. The study is led by Atul Malhotra at UC San Diego and aims to clarify how best to protect the heart in overlap syndrome.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help tailor treatments to reduce heart risk for people with overlap syndrome.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data show associations and reversibility with intervention, but larger cross-sectional comparisons are needed to confirm.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Malhotra, Atul — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Malhotra, Atul
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.