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Sleep apnea leads to serious health problems |
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Friday, 20 June 2008 |
By KAY LOUTH
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — Excessive daytime sleepiness, impaired memory, irritability and snoring are all signs of a serious sleep disorder that afflicts 18 million Americans.
Sleep apnea is an affliction that causes people to stop breathing while sleeping, sometimes as many as 20 to 30 times or more an hour. Each episode can last for as long as 10 to 20 seconds. When an episode occurs, the body responds by waking the sleeper so they will start breathing again. The most common of the three types of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. It has several different causes such as enlarged tonsils or adenoids, an unusually narrow throat or being overweight.
Sleep apnea is linked to serious health concerns such as high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. In addition, the affliction, with its attendant daytime sleepiness, also can lead to workplace and traffic accidents.
“Sleep apnea is the narrowing or closing in the throat and has been known to lead to stroke, depression high blood pressure and other serious heart conditions,” Grand Lake Sleep Center Office Manager Gina Reynolds said. “The indicators we go by are excessive day time sleepiness and snoring, impaired memory, impaired concentration, morning headaches and irritability are all some of the indicators of sleep apnea in adults.” According to the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), sleep apnea also has been linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children as well.
It is often a spouse or loved one who first notices a person is experiencing interrupted breathing episodes. Once a problem is recognized, professional diagnosis is the next step and treatment is available.
“They would have a sleep study done and our process is they come in for a consultation with one of our physicians and would come in a spend a night,” Reynolds said.
The most common test is a polysomnography (PSG). During the PSG,the individual is hooked up to electrodes that monitor various body functions during sleep, such as electrical activity in the brain, eye movement, heart and respiratory rates.
“If the test is positive, they have come back for a second night of testing,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds said the most effective treatment for sleep apnea is the use of a continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP), which sufferers wear at night. The device consists of an air blower connected by a tube to a face mask. The devices forces air into the nasal passages to keep airways open during sleep.
“Every patient is different," Reynolds said. "For some patients it does take a while to get used to it, wearing the mask on their face. Sometimes its a question of finding the right mask. When they do they say they feel so much better after the treatment.”
Other treatments are available. In mild cases, some simple measures such as sleeping on the side, sleeping on propped up pillows and avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills may help. Sometimes dental devices could be used to help reposition the lower jaw and tongue. There is a surgical option as well.
“'There is a surgery procedure but sometimes it is not always successful,” Reynolds said. “The less invasive treatment is wearing the CPAP machine at night when you are sleeping.”
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 25 June 2008 )
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