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Sleep Apnea and Sudden Cardiac Death
According to Swedish researchers, stroke victims with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) die much sooner than stroke victims with central sleep apnea, or those who do not have sleep apnea at all. Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which a person stops breathing ten or more seconds a night due to their airway being blocked by the soft tissue at the back of their throat. This can happen hundreds of times a night.
Because of the blockage, oxygen levels in the blood can become extremely low. So, in addition to worrying about an increased chance of suffering a stroke, there is also a greater chance of sudden cardiac death as a result of these low levels of oxygen. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have found that OSA can drop nighttime oxygen saturation levels to 78 percent from an average of 93 percent. This, they say, is a strong indication that someone is going to have a heart attack. This is also independent of other cardiac risks, such as high cholesterol.
In addition to cardiac failure, cardiac disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and more have been linked to OSA. Excessive daytime sleepiness and morning headaches may also be common. People with OSA, or who are believed to have OSA, should see a sleep specialist as soon as possible. In Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Mark Levy, a dentist who also specializes in treating sleep apnea can give many sufferers of OSA relief.
One of the standards of treating sleep apnea has been with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), and is still usually the first thing sleep specialists will prescribe to their patients. CPAP is essentially a machine turned on at night that pushes air through a hose, which is attached to a mask and worn by the sleep apnea sufferer. The continuous supply of air keeps the airway open and the soft tissue from blocking the airway. In theory, this is a perfect tool for keeping people breathing and sleeping throughout the night. However, the person wearing CPAP must sleep on their back, keep the mask on all night, and continue to wear it indefinitely every single night. Because the machine is loud, people develop sinus problems, sore throats, and suffer acne breakout in the area where the mask is worn, not to mention that people move around a lot in their sleep, only 23 to 45 percent of patients have success with CPAP. When they stop wearing it, sleep apnea sufferers are back to square one.
Dr. Ira Shapira, a Gurnee, Illinois sleep specialist, and director of the online sleep apnea directory, ihatecpap.com, has come up with other treatments for sleep apnea besides CPAP that are very effective. These include oral appliances that help to keep the airway open and are worn much like a mouth guard. Besides lifestyle and behavioral changes, these alternative treatments can reduce the threat of cardiac failure due to OSA.
For more information on OSA, CPAP, and alternatives, please contact Dr. Levy in Columbus, Ohio for an initial consultation.
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