Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious medical condition that affects a person when they are sleeping. As a person sleeps, his or her throat relaxes. The condition causes the throat to relax during sleep to the point that it blocks air from going in or out of the sleeping individual. This may happen several times a night. One of the hallmark symptoms of OSA, other than the cessation of breathing, is snoring.
There are several risks associated with apnea. Failing to get treatment for this condition can result in complications that are life-threatening. Seeking treatment reduces these risks greatly.
Complications of Untreated OSA
Hypertension - When the person with sleep apnea fails to breathe during the night, the body attempts to correct the problem. One of the results of this is high blood pressure, or hypertension. As the severity of apnea increases, so do the chances of developing high blood pressure.
Other cardiovascular problems - If the person with OSA also suffers from heart disease, the chances of sudden cardiac arrest increase. This is because each episode of breathing cessation causes decreased oxygenation of the blood. The condition has also been linked to many different cardiac illnesses, including congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
Stroke - Regardless of whether hypertension is present or not, the person with obstructive sleep apnea is more likely to suffer from a stroke than a person without it.
Fatigue - Although the person with the condition may not physically feel like they wake up several times per night, their disruption in breathing prevents them from getting a restful sleep. Each instance of breathing cessation is accompanied by an increase in the level of wakefulness of the affected person. This ultimately prevents the person from entering the restful period of the sleep cycle for any length of time. The end result is extreme daytime fatigue.
Surgical Complications - The person who suffers from sleep apnea is more likely to suffer complications related to the sedation from surgery than those who don't have this disorder. The medications used to sedate a person in surgery, along with the fact that a person is placed on his or her back for surgery results in increased chances for breathing cessation and sudden cardiac death.
Liver Damage - There is a correlation with abnormal liver function tests and OSA. People who have sleep apnea tend to have increased liver enzymes. This may be because the body is never allowed to "rest and digest," or because people with sleep apnea always feel like they need to get "a good night's sleep" so they self-medicate with sleeping aids, alcoholic beverages or illicit drugs. In any case, these things will increase liver enzymes.
Treating sleep apnea
The first line of treatment for a person with the condition is often CPAP. Continuous positive airway pressure is administered via mask as a person sleeps. This treatment is very effective in eradicating sleep apnea symptoms. However, it doesn't come without its own problems.
Most often, it's difficult for the person with sleep apnea to get accustomed to wearing a mask that's attached to a machine while they are sleeping. Those who persevere do get used to it though in time. In addition, the mask sometimes may not fit properly, giving the person with sleep apnea yet another reason to stop wearing the mask. There are many different types of masks available for a sufferer of OSA and again with perseverance the correct mask can be found. The machine has a certain background noise, and may take some time to get used to, however this has been much improved in recent years. Non-compliance or poor compliance with CPAP results in no improvement in the problems and risks associated with this illness.
People who are affected with obstructive sleep apnea are more prone to develop problems that can become fatal. Treating sleep apnea will greatly decrease a person's chances of developing one or more of these problems. In addition, the partner of the affected person will likely appreciate the decreased snoring and increased libido their partner will have!
Sleep Apnea MaskArticle written by Simon who represents MHA Care Homes - MHA is a charity providing care, accommodation and support services for older people throughout Britain. They are one of the most respected charitable care provider in the sector and amongst the largest charities in Britain, providing award winning services and specialist dementia care to older people for nearly 70 years.