The Importance of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Awareness

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a disease that can be very dangerous for not only the person who suffers from it, but also to many others and maybe even you. Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition that causes the patient to stop breathing several times during sleep. These pauses in breathing result in excessive daytime sleepiness, forgetfulness, irritability, and high blood pressure along with many other possible complications, especially if it goes untreated. Many people who suffer from sleep apnea are not aware they even have the problem; usually other family members or sleeping partners notify them that they stop breathing while they sleep. Therefore, the awareness of the symptoms of sleep apnea is very important so that people who suffer from it can get the proper treatment.

Approximately one in five, or twenty percent of adults suffer at least some grade of obstructive sleep apnea (Shamsuzzaman, A., 2003). A person with sleep apnea is three times more likely to get in an automobile accident (YourLung, n.d.). That being said, while driving, out of every five vehicles that you see one is being driven by a person that suffers from sleep apnea and potentially does not have the alertness or reflexes that are required to operate a vehicle. Furthermore, many people with sleep apnea tend to fall asleep while driving or doing other activities such as working. This is just the beginning of the complications that could arise from obstructive sleep apnea.

Other complications that have been linked to sleep apnea include heart arrhythmias, heart failure, stroke, sexual dysfunction, and high blood pressure. In fact, “up to 50 percent of people with sleep apnea also suffer from high blood pressure (YourLung, n.d.).” Children may also suffer from sleep apnea and it has been linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This proves to be a great number of serious complications for a condition that “officials estimate 10 million Americans have the condition but have not been diagnosed (YourLung, n.d.).”

The goal of treating obstructed sleep apnea is to keep the airway open during sleep so that the person does not stop breathing. Treatment options start with lifestyle changes such as; weight loss, sleep position, and avoiding alcohol or other sedatives before bedtime. Next dental devices can be tried but are not usually very effective. The most common treatment of obstructive sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure also known as CPAP. Finally, surgery is required to open the airway or in some rare cases creating a new airway by means of a tracheostomy (Obstructive Sleep, 2010). However, in one way or another obstructive sleep apnea can be treated to minimize the complications related to it.

In conclusion, it is of great importance to recognize the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea so the person suffering from this condition can get the proper treatment. It not only will give them a better quality of life, but also in the long run may save or prolong their life. Furthermore, by raising the awareness of this condition we can be saving the lives of others that may fall victim to an accident caused by obstructive sleep apnea.

References
Obstructive sleep apnea: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (2010, September 15). National Library of Medicine – National Institutes of Health. Retrieved December 19, 2010, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000811.htm

Shamsuzzaman, A., Gersh, B., & Somers, V. (2003, October 8). Obstructive sleep apnea: implications for cardiac … [JAMA. 2003] – PubMed result. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved December 19, 2010, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14532320

YourLungHealth.org – Sleep Apnea Facts. (n.d.). YourLungHealth.org : We Inspire Healthy Lungs. Retrieved December 19, 2010, from http://www.yourlunghealth.org/lung_disease/sleep_apnea/facts/index.cfm


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