Sleep apnea: the sleep condition that can kill -

When it comes to sleep conditions, there are some that we often hear about. Insomnia, for example, often finds its way into conversation, as does narcolepsy and even restless legs syndrome. A lesser-known condition is sleep apnea, which causes its sufferer to stop and start breathing while they sleep. The symptoms of sleep apnea vary from person to person, but the most common symptom is unusually loud snoring.

Of course, many people snore and it doesn't necessarily warrant a trip to the doctor. If left untreated, however, sleep apnea can have serious complications and can even be fatal.

Check out this gallery to learn about sleep apnea, the sleep condition that can kill.

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Introducing sleep apnea -

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep condition that causes you to stop and start breathing while you sleep. If it goes untreated it can cause serious health problems.

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The most common symptom - A common symptom of sleep apnea is exceptionally loud snoring. In many cases it is this symptom that prompts a person with sleep apnea to see a doctor.

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Snoring - Of course, snoring is common. It can be caused by nose or throat conditions, being overweight, or even sleep style (sleeping on your back makes you more likely to snore, for example).

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Other symptoms -

People with sleep apnea, however, often snore much, much louder than normal. They may also gasp or choke, and they often sleep restlessly.

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Statistics -

Research suggests sleep apnea is a lot more common than we might think: according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, it could affect up to 12% of US adults.

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The undiagnosed -

As many as 80% of sufferers go undiagnosed. Many people don’t know they have apnea, because it only occurs during sleep.

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Three types of sleep apnea -

There are three different types of sleep apnea, and they all have slightly different symptoms. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea.

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Obstructive sleep apnea -

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your airways become blocked while you sleep, usually because the soft tissue at the back of your throat has collapsed.

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What happens -

While your airways are blocked, your diaphragm and chest muscles have to work extremely hard to open them. This can prompt loud gasps or jerking movements.

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Central sleep apnea - The second type is central sleep apnea. This does not involve blocked airways; instead, your brain does not tell you to breathe because of problems in your respiratory control center.

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Risk group -

Central sleep apnea is more common in people with serious health conditions, in particular people who suffer from a neuromuscular disease, such as ALS.

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Complex sleep apnea -

The third type of apnea is complex sleep apnea, which is diagnosed when someone suffers from both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.

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Noticing the symptoms -

Most people do not notice their first symptoms of sleep apnea, because they are asleep. More often it is their partner that alerts them to the symptoms.

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Cocktail of symptoms -

Common symptoms include snoring, restlessness while sleeping, and fatigue during the day. Sufferers may also experience headaches and mood disorders.

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Insomnia for central sleep apnea sufferers -

People with central sleep apnea usually report waking up a lot during the night, otherwise known as insomnia. People with either type may choke themselves awake.

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Symptoms in children -

Symptoms may be less obvious in children, but they include sweating a lot at night, trouble swallowing, and sleepiness, which might be mistaken for laziness at school.

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Step one -

If you go to your doctor with symptoms of sleep apnea, they will normally try to rule out any other potential causes for your symptoms first.

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Medical review -

If there is no other obvious cause for your symptoms, the doctor will usually review your medical history and order tests to find out what is going on.

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Sleep study -

If, on the basis of their findings, the doctor suspects you have sleep apnea, they may refer you to a sleep specialist for a sleep study.

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Purpose of the study -

The purpose of the sleep study, which can be done at home, is to determine, among other things, whether your breathing stops or slows down while you are asleep.

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Diagnosis -

Based on the number of sleep apnea events you had in an hour of the study, the doctor may diagnose you with mild, moderate, or severe sleep apnea.

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Further tests -

The doctor may also order further tests to determine whether you have an underlying health condition that could be causing your sleep apnea.

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Varying treatments - If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, the doctor will recommend treatment depending on the severity of your symptoms. For mild cases, lifestyle changes are often sufficient.

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Lifestyle changes -

For people suffering with mild sleep apnea, it may be a sufficient treatment to lose weight, stop smoking, or find a treatment for nasal allergies.

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CPAP machine -

In more serious cases, the doctor may prescribe a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to help you regulate your breathing while you sleep.

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Surgery -

If none of these treatments work, your doctor may recommend one of a number of possible surgeries, such as tissue removal, tissue shrinkage, or jaw repositioning.

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Complications -

If it goes untreated, sleep apnea can have serious complications. For starters, it causes daytime fatigue, which in turn makes it more likely for people to have accidents.

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Higher risk of heart attack and stroke -

The drop in blood oxygen levels while you sleep also puts the cardiovascular system under stress. Sufferers are therefore at a higher risk of recurrent heart attacks or stroke.

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Complications after surgery -

Obstructive sleep apnea can cause people to have issues with certain medications or after major surgery because they are more likely to have trouble breathing.

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Impaired liver function -

Finally, sleep apnea has been shown to impact the results of liver function tests. Sleep apnea sufferers have livers that are more likely to show signs of scarring.

Sources: (BBC) (WebMD)

See also: Celebs living with sleep disorders

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