foodconsumer.org: New Study Reveals Sleep Apnea Health Risk

New Study Reveals Sleep Apnea Health Risk
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admin on 08/19/2009 02:57:00
 
By Rachel Stockton (rachels@foodconsumer.org)
According to a sleep study out of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, people
who have severe sleep apnea are 43% more likely to die at an early age than
their sound-sleeping counterparts.
Sleep apnea is a physical condition caused by the airways collapsing; the result
is an interruption in breathing that lasts for at least 10 seconds. Sleep apnea
is considered severe when it occurs every two to three minutes.
Sleep apnea patients are at risk for a number of life threatening health
problems, such as high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke.
For the study, 6400 people were surveyed over a period of 8 years; the study was
funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, which estimates that 12
million adults suffer from the malady.
Experts agree that the best way to treat sleep apnea, which causes low blood
oxygen levels and fragmented sleep, is to lose weight.  In fact, the National
Sleep Institute maintains that weight loss is the ONLY way to treat apnea. 
Anything else just treats the symptoms.
The most successful treatment for the snoring that accompanies apnea is the CPAP
(continuous supportive airway pressure), which keeps the airways from
collapsing, allowing for more restful sleep.  According to the National Sleep
Institute, the vast majority of CPAP users successfully keep sleep apnea under
control, citing increased energy and mental focus.
The Institute also has some practical suggestions on its website for those who
choose not to use a CPAP:
1.        Lose weight
2.       Avoid alcohol, especially right before bed
3.       Quit smoking
4.       Sleep on your side; most sleep apnea patients contend that their
symptoms aren't as severe when they lie on their sides, as opposed to lying flat
on their backs.
The good news is that most insurance companies now pay for treatment at a sleep
center, as well as for the CPAP itself.  This is further proof that sleep apnea
is a serious medical condition requiring intervention.