Untreated sleep apnea could be life threatening

Those suffering from sleep apnea often have a continuos feeling of fatigue and drowsiness, which often leads to falling asleep during inappropriate times like at work or while driving. [Click to enlarge]

Do you get nightly jabs from your bed partner for interrupting his or her sleep?

Do you fall asleep driving?

If you answered yes to any or all of those questions, you may be 1 of 15 million Americans that suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea occurs when muscles in the back of a sleeping person's throat relax and cover the airway, stopping breathing.

But not all people who snore have sleep apnea, said Karla Anthony, a certified respiratory therapist and cardio pulmonary manager at Floyd Valley Hospital (FVH).

"The snoring in itself is not enough," Anthony said. "You're snoring and you quit breathing is what we call apnea."

Untreated sleep apnea can be life threatening because the lack of oxygen can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke, Anthony said.

According to the Mayo Clinic, only 10 percent of sleep apnea sufferers are diagnosed and treated.

"People that have sleep apnea that goes untreated that have normal blood pressure as a rule within four years will have high blood pressure," Anthony said. "High blood pressure going untreated affects your heart and your brain."

When people sleep their bodies need to relax, but for those who have high blood pressure their hearts don't get that chance because their pressure stays high when it's affected by sleep apnea, Anthony said.

"Sleep apnea may increase the risk of heart failure because of the swing in blood pressure during apneic periods," Anthony said. "It can affect your body in many places that people don't realize."

Some of the symptoms of sleep apnea include waking up in the morning just as tired as when went to sleep, snoring and falling asleep instantaneously or while driving, Anthony said.

"Sleep apnea is a very scary thing, but it can be dealt with easily," she said.

That's where a CPAP, (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), machine comes into play.

"It's a machine that has a continuous pressure. It pushes that pressure in all the time," Anthony said. "That airway doesn't have to relax so it keeps the airway open so you can breathe all the time."

Unlike early CPAPs the ones now are very simple and very quiet and come in variations from a full face mask to nasal pillows that sit just under the nose, Anthony said.

Each individual's CPAP machines is set to his or her levels of air pressure to ensure a good night's sleep.

Not only does the person wearing the CPAP benefit from it, but his or her bed partner will also, Anthony said.

"Nine times out of 10, let's say the man has sleep apnea and gets on a machine, the wife sleeps better," Anthony said. "You don't have to worry about your husband's snoring and not breathing."

Most insurance companies are now paying for CPAP machines after a sleep apnea diagnosis is determined through a doctor and a sleep study.

The overnight sleep study, which can be done at FVH, tracks and records body functions while the patient is asleep.

In addition to CPAPs there are other ways to treat sleep apnea including surgery and a dental apparatus, Anthony said.

Sleep apnea can be caused by circumstances such as body make up, body mass index, neck circumference and sleep patterns, Anthony said.

"That's why you see a lot of truckers with sleep apnea," she said. "They have pretty irregular sleep patterns."

Most people with sleep apnea that use a CPAP machine will probably use it for life.

"Once you're body gets adjusted to that CPAP you are never going to want to sleep without it," she said. "Some people can pick it up in a couple days because they feel so much better, they sleep so much better, they don't snore."

On average it takes most people three to four weeks to adjust to using a CPAP though it make take some longer, Anthony said.

But once they adjust and their sleep apnea is under control, it's worth the inconvenience.

"Is it something that can be cured?" Anthony said. "Not necessarily, but you can be treated for it."

info box

A support group called A.W.A.K.E. (Alert, Well and Keeping Energetic) of Le Mars exists for those suffering from sleep apnea or anyone wanting more information.

A.W.A.K.E. formed about 10 years ago and meets four times a year in March, May, September and November.

The group meets from 5 to 7 p.m. at Floyd Valley Hospital.