Understanding Sleep Apnea: Risks and Treatments

Sleep apnea is a common but serious sleep disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It involves repeated pauses in breathing while sleeping, which can lead to a cascade of health problems if left untreated. In this article, I will explore and explain sleep apnea, explore its risks, and discuss various treatment options.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep. These pauses can last from a few seconds to several minutes and can occur as often as 30 times per hour or more. Typically, normal breathing resumes, sometimes with a loud snorting or choking sound. The condition is usually diagnosed based on the number of apneas and hypopneas (partial apneas) per hour of sleep, called the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). In general, an AHI of 5 to 15 is considered mild sleep apnea, 15 to 30 is considered moderate sleep apnea, and more than 30 is considered severe sleep apnea.

There are two primary types of sleep apnea:

1. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): This is the most common form, in which the throat muscles relax during sleep, blocking the airway.
2. Central sleep apnea (CSA): Less common than OSA, CSA occurs when your brain fails to send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.

© By courtesy of the Sujata Birla Hospital

The Risks Involved

If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to a number of serious health complications, including

• High blood pressure (hypertension) due to frequent nighttime awakenings causing hormonal changes that increase blood pressure.
• Heart problems, such as atrial fibrillation, atherosclerosis, and risk of heart failure.
• Poor liver function, such as increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cirrhosis, and fibrosis.
• Hypercholesterolemia also results from reduced liver function, including the production and regulation of lipids (fats). This results in abnormal levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Type 2 diabetes, as repeated episodes of low oxygen levels (hypoxia) during sleep can lead to insulin resistance.
• Obesity due to disrupted sleep and oxygen deprivation leads to increased fatigue, causing hormonal imbalances that encourage overeating, trigger stress responses, and reduce metabolic rates.
• Complications with medications and surgery

In addition, because of the lack of restful sleep, people with untreated sleep apnea often experience excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, depression, irritability, and even decreased performance at work or school.

Diagnosing Sleep Apnea

If you suspect you may have sleep apnea based on symptoms such as loud snoring at night followed by moments when you stop breathing during sleep — often observed by another person — it’s important to see a doctor right away.

Your healthcare provider may refer you for a polysomnogram (a type of sleep study) or suggest a simplified at-home test called nocturnal polysomnography, which uses equipment to monitor your heart rate, lung activity, brain waves, and more while you’re asleep.

Certain consumer devices, such as the Withings Sleep Tracking Mat, can also measure sleep apnea.

Treatment Options

Treatment for sleep apnea depends largely on the severity of each individual case:

1. Lifestyle Changes: Mild forms of obstructive sleep apnea can often be treated with lifestyle changes, such as losing weight if you are overweight or obese, exercising, quitting smoking, or changing your sleeping position.
2. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): For moderate to severe conditions, especially those that do not respond well to lifestyle changes alone, continuous positive airway pressure therapy may be recommended, in which a mask worn over the nose at bedtime delivers air pressure to the throat to keep it from collapsing when you breathe in.
3. Oral Appliances: Dental appliances designed to keep the throat open are also available and may be recommended by some doctors.
4. Surgery: In some cases, when other treatments prove to be ineffective or inappropriate, surgical options are offered, ranging from tissue removal/replacement (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty), implantation of plastic rods in the soft palate (palatal implants), nerve stimulation therapies, and others, depending on individual circumstances.

It’s important for anyone diagnosed with this disorder not only to seek medical help, but also to strictly adhere to their prescribed treatment plan, since untreated sleep apnea worsens over time, leading to serious future complications.

Sleep apnea is a major health problem that demands attention due to its potential complications down line. But through early detection and appropriate intervention — it’s become something manageable, allowing individuals to live healthier, more rested lives.

Remember, always consult a health care professional before beginning any new treatment or therapy regimen to make sure what’s right for your individual needs and abilities.