Posts Tagged ‘Serious’

Sleep Apnea Can be Accompanied by Various Serious Health Problems

Sleep apnea is not a disorder to be taken lightly and is a condition that is not going to go away by itself in time. Sleep apnea is in fact classed as a “progressive disease” which means that just like heart disease, cancer and diabetes it worsens with time. There is considerable dispute in the medical community over the effect that sleep apnea has on other medical conditions. This said, there is a definite link between sleep apnea and a variety of physical conditions including hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, heart attack, pulmonary hypertension, stroke and kidney failure.

Researchers are looking more and more into why these conditions are linked to problems that erupt the upper airways of a person with sleep apnea. It is well known of course that being overweight, smoking and abusing alcohol contribute to sleep apnea and in turn lead to a higher probability of developing heart disease and high blood pressure. It is not clear however why some people without these elements in their lifestyle still have sleep apnea.

When breathing stops during a sleep apnea episode the blood shows raised carbon dioxide levels and lower oxygen levels. Consequently, a number of both physical and chemical events takes place within the body that then increases the possibility of other problems arising in the body.

In individuals who suffer from sleep apnea and who are also overweight researchers have discovered that they have high levels of immune factors known as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin. High levels of these factors can produce serious inflammation which can lead to cell damage, especially within the arteries. In one study it was found that individuals with raised tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels had excessive tiredness, shortness of breath and weak heart pumping. However it must be said that at this time no clear causal relationship has been scientifically established between sleep apnea and heart disease.

A number of studies have been carried out to examine high blood pressure and sleep apnea and a connection has been found between the two. For example, a study done in 2000 looked at patients for four years and reported that the greater the number of sleep apnea episodes they experienced in the first year the greater the risk of developing hypertension by the third or fourth year. Even in those people who snored or who experienced only mild sleep apnea there was a small but nonetheless higher than normal link with high blood pressure.

In the past the link between sleep apnea and high blood pressure was considered to be strongly connected to obesity. Recent studies however point to the fact hypertension is seen particularly in those people who have sleep apnea regardless of how much they weigh.

Blood pressure has an effect on sleep apnea because it varies tremendously during repeated sleep apnea episodes. These fluctuations are also associated with changes in the form of sudden surges that occur within the sympathetic nervous system. This system controls involuntary muscles and especially those which take place the heart and blood vessels. It is strongly believed that as time passes these variations might play an important role in the development of permanent and long term hypertension.

Sleep Apnea Health Problems Can Be Serious

Efforts to discover what causes sleep apnea have been intense, and although the actual cause may not have been identified, researchers have discovered that sleep apnea (sleep apnoea) health problems can be serious.

There are several major risk factors for heart disease such as obesity, alcohol abuse, and smoking, but you might be surprised to find out that sleep apnea is also a major risk factor. Combine any of these factors, and the risk doubles for serious sleep apnoea health problems. For example, if you are obese and you suffer from sleep apnea, then your risk of heart problems increases.

If your sleep apnea is treated with a device such as CPAP, you reduce or even eliminate your risks. However, if you do not seek treatment when your breathing stops during an apnea attack, the levels of carbon dioxide in your blood increase while the levels of oxygen drop off. This effect causes a variety of chemical and physical events to occur that can increase your risk for heart problems.

Sleep apnoea health problems increase the longer the apnea remains untreated. This problem will decrease the levels of gas nitric oxide in the blood, which is an important substance for heart health. The reduced levels raise the risk of heart problems.

Apnea also increases the angiotensin converting enzyme, which plays a role in congestive heart failure and high blood pressure. High levels of this enzyme exacerbate your sleep apnoea health problems. Other chemical changes involved also increase your risk for heart problems.

There is still much research needed to define just how all of these changes affect the heart and just how serious the impact is to the health of your heart. With treatments available, why take the risk? Why not use a sleep apnea device like CPAP?

Studies have made direct correlations with the following sleep apnoea health problems. If you suffer from sleep apnea, consider these risks if you choose to ignore using one of the sleep apnea device treatments.

High Blood Pressure – Several studies have correlated sleep apnoea with high blood pressure. A study conducted in 2004 for sleep apnea health problems found that the more apnea episodes you had in the first year, the more likely you were to have high blood pressure by the time year four came around.

Blood pressure will have wide fluctuations in response to the apnea episode. These fluctuations might be a result of the sympathetic nervous system sudden surge. It’s these fluctuations, which lead to the blood vessels constricting, and over time, this leads to high blood pressure and the possibility of heart damage.

Effective treatments like the CPAP sleep apnea device allow your airways to remain open, which means your blood pressure will be lowered. Only partial reduction of sleep apnoea does not have the positive effective. It must be a substantial reduction.

Of the many sleep apnea health problems, coronary artery disease and heart attack are the two most serious. Studies have confirmed that the more apnea episodes you have the higher your risk of heart attack, stroke, and coronary artery disease. This is especially true in older adults. Do you still want to ignore treatment such as CPAP?

If you have sleep apnoea, you double your risk for stroke. The worse the episodes, the greater the risk you face. Severe sleep apnoea can triple your risk of stroke. And stroke sufferers with sleep apnea have symptoms that are worse, such as poor speech response, depression, delirium, and difficulty with daily activities. Another good reason to use a sleep apnea device is to reduce your risk of developing sleep apnoea health problems.

37% of all heart failure patience had sleep apnea, and if you have existing congestive heart failure with sleep apnoea, your risk of death goes up.

Other sleep apnoea health problems that have been directly linked to sleep apnea

* Peripheral nerve damage

* Asthma

* Diabetes

* Kidney failure

* Eye disorders

* Liver damage

* Seizures

* Nerve disorders

* High-risk pregnancies

* Headaches

* Irregular menstrual periods

Now that you know just a few of the sleep apnoea health issues are you ready to seek treatment?