Posted on 08/19/2021 6:12:08 PM PDT by nickcarraway
-Obstructive sleep apnea has become a worldwide health concern. -Sleep apnea has associations with an increased risk of sudden and cardiovascular-related deaths. -Future research should focus on decreasing and preventing this serious sleep condition.
Obstructive sleep apnea has become a globally prevalent health concern. Recent literature estimates that more than 1 billion individuals experience this chronic sleep disorder.
A study by Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, which appears in BMJ Open Respiratory Research, found that those who receive a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea are at a significantly greater risk of dying suddenly than those who do not have the condition.
The word apnea means “without breath.” During obstructive sleep apnea, there is a reduction or complete blockage of airflow during sleep. This sleep disturbance manifests itself in various ways, including excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, heavy snoring, and non-refreshing sleep.
Serious consequences of sleep apnea
While these symptoms can potentially affect a person’s quality of life, they can also have even more serious consequences.
Researchers at Penn State performed a systematic review of the literature and identified 22 studies focusing on obstructive sleep apnea, cardiac death, and sudden death. The team analyzed the combined data of these studies by meta-analysis.
The quantitative analysis included a combined total of over 42,000 individuals across the world. The mean age of participants was 62 years old, and 64% were men.
The meta-analysis showed that individuals with obstructive sleep apnea were approximately twice as likely to experience sudden death than those who did not have the sleep condition. The study also identified that obstructive sleep apnea resulted in a nearly twofold risk of cardiovascular death that increased with age.
According to Dr. John S. Oh, assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and one of the study authors, many patients do not realize the seriousness of an apnea diagnosis.
“Obstructive sleep apnea is a common condition that can have fatal consequences,” stresses Dr. Oh.
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Timely diagnosis and treatment
In an interview with Medical News Today, Dr. Ryan Soose, director of the UPMC Sleep Division, said: “We’ve known for a long time that untreated sleep apnea patients are more likely to develop high blood pressure, heart disease, and a number of other health conditions. But the risk of sudden death reported in this study is eye-opening and makes a timely diagnosis and treatment even more pressing.”
The effects of the nervous system on the human sleep cycle may explain the association between sleep apnea and the increased rate of sudden death.
Because of the intermittent lack of oxygen that people with sleep apnea experience, the central nervous system may be over-aroused to increase airflow. In turn, this can cause increases in both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of an individual.
In addition, someone with sleep apnea will experience oxidative stress, which can contribute to an imbalance of antioxidants in the body. This imbalance can damage cells and speed up the aging process, causing numerous health problems over time.
In a podcast, Dale Coller, DO, from Holland Hospital Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine in Michigan, OH, has commented on the serious stressors resulting from obstructive sleep apnea.
“Every time [the throat] closes off, it’s very similar to if someone is being choked,” Coller explains. “This can happen hundreds of times in one night, causing the person stress and fragmentation of their sleep.”
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“Providing accessible and affordable treatments for populations with [obstructive sleep apnea] may ultimately reduce adverse health outcomes for these individuals,” added co-author Emily Heilbrunn.
Dr. Soose agreed:
“Rather than the traditional cookie-cutter approach, I believe that cutting-edge sleep apnea management involves customizing a more holistic and combination treatment plan to each individual’s unique needs.”
The Penn State researchers noted some study limitations.
Because the research involved 22 separate studies, factors other than obstructive sleep apnea may have affected the data in each study.
Also, although the meta-analysis included studies from North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, and South America, there were no studies from Africa. The authors note that more research is needed to determine if the results from this study apply to African populations.
In addition, they stress the need for treatments and interventions related to decreasing and eventually preventing obstructive sleep apnea across the globe to optimize survival and increase a person’s quality of life.
Overweight is one huge factor
I have been reading that the EPR function can turn cpap into a quasi bipap
I changed the settings on my machine and decided i couldnt deal with trying it yet
Had my yearly sleep dr checkup today, then new supplies arrived in the post and now this story. All in one day. Comes in threes i guess. Going to get a good nights sleep.
Not all Sleep Apnea is caused by being overweight, but I think the vats majority is. The heavier you are, the more your weight can disrupt breathing during your sleep.
Holding tension in my throat and neck is my experience. Sometimes it’s not there and I can feel a big difference.
Excess weight is probably the largest causative factor. I lost a large amount of weight and no longer snore or have apnea or acid reflux.
Been using cpap for around 13 yrs. I’d probably be dead without it. If you snore you probably have sleep apnea...get a sleep study and find out.
The Philips Dream Station machines are the ones that were recalled earlier this year. Philips needs to start updating people about their plan to get safe machines in there hands.
After I stopped using my machine due to the recall my pulmonologist was able take me off the steroid inhaler he put me on earlier in the year. So, now I’m breathing better, but I have sleep apnea again. Great job, Philips.
Same for me. I feel so much better after doing the at home sleep study and getting the CPAP. Before, my breathing stopped virtually every minute. Now, twice an hour. Under 5 an hour is okay.
If anyone has a great mask for side sleepers let us know. I cant deal with the full face mask from F and P. Too much pressure on face to get the seal
Very similar to my situation. Congrats!
I was diagnosed about 10 years ago. CPAP fixed it. Problem is my machine is about 10 years old now and I’m worried about it failing. Don’t want to go through the sleep study again......need to look up who the doctor was and see if she will prescribe another one without another sleep study.
“Recent literature estimates that more than 1 billion individuals experience this chronic sleep disorder.”
All they need to do is call...or go online...to the My Pillow Guy!
Why do I have to constantly solve ALL of the problems in this world?
Also - get your face behind a MASK 24/7, indoors or out! That’ll help. A LOT!
*SNORT*
My doctor told me I’d have to decide which held more risk - using a potentially defective machine or doing without.
Since I have a severe case, I’m still using it.
Ditto
After I had a nasal turbinate reduction, I am able to breath much better with my nose. The nose pillow is so much better than the full face mask. It’s easy to sleep on my side with it. AirFit N30i Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear.
Good luck.
“What was its genesis?”
Just throwing it out there:
A lack of Fresh Air & Sunshine?
Being TRAPPED in an office environment all day?
‘Working For A Living’ without actually moving your feet?
First World Problems - at least. Don’t know what causes this problem for the other BILLIONS of people outside of our indulged society.
*SHRUG*
Very similar experience. Prior to the CPAP I forgot that you dream
when you sleep.
Weight. Not all, but a lot (I dare say most) of sleep apnea is weight related. Essentially the throat closes off because of the mass of the tongue and surrounding tissue overwhelms the involuntary muscles keeping the airway open. The O2 supply gets cut off and blood O2 plummets till the person wakes enough to gasp for air and the muscles re-tighten opening the airway until the next event.
Weight. Not all, but a lot (I dare say most) of sleep apnea is weight related. Essentially the throat closes off because of the mass of the tongue and surrounding tissue overwhelms the involuntary muscles keeping the airway open. The O2 supply gets cut off and blood O2 plummets till the person wakes enough to gasp for air and the muscles re-tighten opening the airway until the next event.
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