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Sleep apnea is as prevalent as adult diabetes and asthma. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 18 million Americans, or roughly 20 percent of the U.S. adult population, suffer from sleep apnea.
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Approximately one in five adults has at least mild obstructive sleep apnea and one in 15 adults has OSA of moderate or worse severity, according to a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Each year, nearly 4 percent of men and 2 percent of women over the age of 35 are diagnosed with sleep apnea, according to the NIH. Yet, it is estimated that as many as 90 percent of all cases remain undiagnosed, largely due to the fact that people are unaware their symptoms are a sign of a serious breathing disorder and that effective treatment is available.
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The consequences of OSA range from disruptive to life-threatening. Disruptive consequences include daytime fatigue, depression, irritability, sexual dysfunction, learning and memory difficulties and falling asleep while at work, on the phone or driving. Life-threatening consequences include congestive heart failure, stroke, irregular heart rhythms, cardiovascular disease and fatal car accidents.
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It is estimated that about one-third of all patients with heart failure have OSA, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine. In this clinical study, patients with heart failure that were treated with CPAP achieved a noted reduction in systolic blood pressure and an overall improvement in heart function.
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OSA sufferers are three times more likely to have automobile accidents than non-sufferers. In fact, according to a study conducted by the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, each year, 980 lives could potentially be saved and $11.1 billion in automobile accident costs could be avoided if drivers who suffer from OSA received successful sleep apnea treatment.
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The recognized OSA symptoms include: loud snoring, nocturnal gasping and choking during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, memory or learning problems, irritability, lack of concentration, mood swings or personality changes, dry throat upon awakening, witnessed apneas and frequent urination.
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Signs that a person may be susceptible for OSA include: loud snoring, being 20 to 30 pounds overweight, having high blood pressure, having a crowded posterior airway, congestion caused by hay fever and other allergies, a short, thick neck, or a family history of sleep apnea.
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During an average night's sleep, an OSA sufferer may experience 60 apneas an hour, or 400 per night. Data shows that the risk of long-term mortality increases when patients experience 20 or more apneas per hour.
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Studies have shown that the partners of OSA sufferers can lose up to one hour of sleep per night due to their bed partner's loud snoring and apneas.
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CPAP is the most common and effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. CPAP provides airflow to the patient via a nasal mask. The air pressure holds or “splints” the airway open so that air flows freely to the lungs.
Source: SleepApneaInfo.com
