Posted on Wed, Jan 25, 2012
According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, sleep apnea is every bit as serious a health problem for women as for men. This had not previously been studied because men are more likely to be apnea sufferers and so most studies had focused on that gender.
This study involved 1,116 middle-aged women over several years. The researchers determined whether the women had sleep apnea or not, measured the severity of the apnea, and divided the women into groups. Some of the women with sleep apnea were then treated with continuous positive airway pressurisation (CPAP).
Women without sleep apnea were used as a "control group" to compare results against.
All women were monitored for more than seven years. During that time, 41 women (4%) died due to a cardiovascular problem.
These deaths related to cardiovascular problems occurred significantly more often in women with sleep apnea not treated with CPAP. According to researcher Dr. Francisco Campos-Rodriguez, the women with untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea had 3 ½ times the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to the women without sleep apnea.
Once again, this highlights the importance of getting treatment for sleep disordered breathing conditions. If you suspect you, or someone you know, may have a sleep disorder (ranging from simple snoring through to severe obstructive sleep apnoea) arrange a diagnostic sleep study as soon as possible to determine the severity of any condition and an appropriate form of treatment.
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Posted on Wed, Jan 25, 2012
According to a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research, how much we sleep and how well we sleep are directly associated with cardiometabolic disease.
In a study of 138,201 adult participants (mean age, 48.8 years) conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, it was found that sleep duration correlated significantly with obesity, diabetes, myocardial infarction, stroke, and coronary artery disease.
The researchers also found a significant association remained for obesity, myocardial infarction, and coronary artery disease even AFTER fully adjusting for variables that included physical health.
Notably, 'sleep disturbance' was defined very broadly as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and sleeping too much. Fortunately, following treatment, the effects for obesity, myocardial infarction, and coronary artery disease were the most positive.
According to the researchers: "These data suggest that sleep disturbance may be an important indicator of cardiometabolic disease risk."
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Posted on Thu, Nov 17, 2011
Sleep apnoea has long been linked to metabolic retardation and a consequent increase in bodyweight. In fact, in the majority of cases, people who are obese are highly likely to be suffering from some degree of sleep apnoea.
Sleep apnoea stops the sufferer from breathing normally while asleep, as the soft tissue of the upper airway collapse and block breathing. In severe cases this happens 30 or more times per hour, often for 30 seconds or more each time. The effect on the body's physiology is easy to imagine.
The interesting thing to note is that sleep apnoea and weight issues are a circular relationship. Just as sleep apnoea can cause people to put on weight, it is also true that overweight people are likely to have sleep apnoea. This leads to a downward spiral, as the weight gain leads to worsened apnoea, which leads to increased weight gain, etc.
In this article from ABC7 News in the US, one apnoea sufferer explains the difference treatment has made to her condition and her life. One positive outcome is that her retarded metabolism appears to have been kick started again ... and she has lost 45 pounds since April.
As the report says, "As with most people who lose weight, a healthy diet and a consistent exercise regimen are part of her method. McCormick, though, chalks up her extreme weight loss to one more factor.
Breathing.
Last April, McCormick participated in a sleep study that revealed she had sleep apnea. Sufferers of sleep apnea briefly and repeatedly stop breathing while they sleep due to a blockage of the airway."
Since undergoing treatment for sleep apnoea, Rebecca says her life has "turned around completely. She sleeps eight hours a night, doesn't snore anymore, and has the energy to work out on a daily basis.
"Many times, I don't wake up at all in the night," McCormick said. "(My) emotions stabilized. I'm back to being a positive and energetic person."
Twersky says people who can't lose weight with diet and exercise alone might indeed be one of the millions who have an underlying sleep disorder. He says if you suspect sleep apnea, you should consult with a doctor about getting tested."
Sleep apnoea is a serious condition which should be treated, rather than tolerated. If you have apnoea or know someone who does, arrange a diagnostic sleep study for them as a matter of urgency.
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Posted on Thu, Nov 17, 2011
CPAP treatment is considered the 'gold standard' for the treatment of serious sleep disordered breathing (SDB) conditions, such as moderate to severe sleep apnoea.
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Perhaps the biggest challenge faced by patients and CPAP treatment providers is that the CPAP mask and connnected tubing can be uncomfortable to sleep with, leading to low 'compliance' rates. That is, the patient wears the CPAP system for only a short period each night or, worse still, stops wearing the equipment entirely.
This, of course, means the patient's apnoea goes completely untreated.
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But there may be some good news in store. A recent press release from Circadiance, an American manufacturer of respiratory products for people with sleep disordered breathing conditions, states that the company is introducing a CPAP mask tube "so lightweight and flexible, that CPAP users will hardly know it's there".
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CPAP treatment is highly effective, but many
patients find it uncomfortable. New masks and tubing materials may solve this problem
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According to the release, the new SleepWeaver Feather Weight Tube is a 15-millimeter hose composed of revolutionary, lightweight material that reduces the weight at the mask connection point. The manufacturers claim this makes the hose less likely to pull and disrupt the seal. The new tube also extends the hose length by 1.5 feet.
Ron Mahofski, the Director of Engineering at Circadience said "Our new hose is lighter and more flexible than standard CPAP hoses. It also includes smaller lightweight connectors, which reduce the pull between the hose and the mask."
Also, unlike many other CPAP hoses, the SleepWeaver Feather Weight Tube claims to have the ability to stretch, providing a more forgiving connection to CPAP devices. It can also be used as a quick release.
"These features give users the full benefit of CPAP therapy so they can enjoy a deep, restorative sleep," says Mahofski.
Launching in November 2011, the new tube is designed to fit any CPAP mask with a 22-millimeter connection. Further information can be found at http://www.circadiance.com.
CPAP treatment is advancing in leaps and bounds, with better pumps, masks, tubing, humidification systems and other accessories coming on to the market each day. If you found this post interesting, please leave a comment or share the information by hitting the buttons above the article.
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Posted on Fri, Nov 04, 2011
CPAP supplies in Brisbane are no longer handled only by CPAP merchants and public health officials who sell or issue your CPAP ... then wish you good luck.
At the Sleep Therapy Clinic we understand that CPAP can take some getting used to, and getting exactly the right CPAP supplies and fitting can take even longer.
That's why we assign a sleep therapist to guide CPAP patients through the entire CPAP journey.
From delivering the prescribed CPAP supplies to your own home at a convenient time, through to regular check ups until you are successfully treated, we do our best to make sure your CPAP treatment is a pleasant and stress free experience.
See our patient feedback to get some sense of how different the CPAP experience is when you get your CPAP and CPAP supplies from The Sleep Therapy Clinic. Our CPAP supplies service is available all around Brisbane and throughout Queensland.
For more information, call 07 3218 2171 for a free, no-obligation chat with a friendly sleep therapist (normally charged at $35) or complete the form below.
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Posted on Fri, Nov 04, 2011
I was talking to Robyn yesterday when she rang me to check on how I am going with my CPAP therapy. Firstly I must say Robyn has been wonderful with me and I think if it wasn't for the excellent way she introduced to CPAP and followed up on how I was proceeding, I may not have proceeded with the therapy so well. Thanks Robyn.
I now have been using CPAP for over four months now and my life has turned around. I will give you a brief outline of the changes since the start. Due to the nature of my work in mining I do a lot of driving between jobs sites and did experience micro sleeps on more then one occasion, this is the main reason I decided to try CPAP. The micro sleeps were becoming more common and I knew this plus long distances would leave most likly to a bad ending. Also at meetings I was acturaly falling a sleep. My snoring drove my wife mad and she often moved rooms because of it. I also found that as my sleep deprivation increased my consumption of food on trips increased to fight off the urge to nod off, this lead to a big weight gain. So since CPAP weight is coming off, driving long trips is so much saver and not as stressful, I do not even feel tired at meetings, My wife and family life is much better, so you can see it was probably the best 3k I have spent or as I say invested.
It has become almost second nature to me using CPAP, actuality I would find it strange to go to sleep without this aid now, the CPAP machine goes with me everywhere and I have not had bad nights sleep in months. If you wish to use me as a referee on the benefits of CPAP, feel free to contact me or use this as a written acknowledgement of the success of this great invention and treatment.
Regards
Mort Philp.
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Posted on Wed, Oct 26, 2011
According to a recent scientific paper published by BUPA:
Snoring arising from the base of the tongue can cause partial or complete airway obstruction due to a collapse of the throat, which is essentially a muscular tunnel. If the muscles relax too much, the walls of the tunnel fall in and this inhibits inspiration (breathing in). There may only be a partial collapse, but the effect nevertheless is that the muscles of breathing have to work harder to drag air into the lungs past this obstruction.
Where complete cessation of breathing occurs the condition is called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). {Note: apnoea is spelt ‘apnea’ in the United States and Canada). Cessation of breathing may last anywhere from ten seconds to two minutes. Apnoea patients may experience 30 to 300 such events per night. These episodes often lead to significantly reduced blood oxygen levels.
Obstructive sleep apnoea is graded as mild, moderate or severe. Typically, sleep apneoa is considered mild when the patient has from five to fifteen arousals from sleep (“events”) per hour, moderate when the patient has fifteen to thirty events per hour, and severe when the patient has more than 30 events per hour. Some patients only exhibit apnoea, or the apnoea becomes more severe, during rapid eye movement (“REM”) sleep.
REM sleep occurs when the patient is dreaming and the body suspends itself into a flaccid paralysis, reducing muscle tone to its lowest level. The airway is most susceptible to collapse during REM sleep. Arousal during REM sleep is especially harmful to the patient because it is during REM sleep that the body gains the most significant restorative and regenerative benefits from sleep. Without REM sleep the person will not feel refreshed from the sleep period and is subject to the many medical consequences of sleep deprivation.
OSA can lead to severe fatigue at best and sudden death at worst. If you think you have this disorder, you must seek treatment from a medical professional.
According to various scientific studies:
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An individual with untreated ‘obstructive sleep apnoea’ (OSA) is up to 4 times more likely to have a stroke and 3 times more likely to have heart disease. (National Sleep Foundation).
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Patients with untreated apnoea run a 3% risk of stroke and heart attack. Treatment with CPAP was found to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke by 20% (The Lancet 2002; 359: 204-210)
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About one half of patients who have essential hypertension (high blood pressure) have obstructive sleep apnoea, and about one half of patients who have obstructive sleep apnoea have essential hypertension. (Am Fam Physician 2002;65:229-36)
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People suffering from sleep apnoea are six times more likely to be involved in a car crash (as a result of drowsiness) than those without sleep disorders. (New England Journal of Medicine, March 18, 1999)
The good news is snoring and apnoea can be treated. Inexpensively. And effectively. Call us today for a free, no-obligation discussion about your situation (this consultation would normally be charged at $35, so call before we are fully booked. Phone 07 3218 2171 today.
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Posted on Mon, Oct 24, 2011
Apnoea diagnosis and treatment is now available all around Queensland, through our Regional Sleep Clinic services.
Patients no longer need to travel to cities or major regional centres for diagnostic sleep studies or treatment for apnoea. As well as reducing the risks associated with sending sleep disorder sufferers long distances for diagnosis or treatment, this new service also reduces costs and waiting time and is generally far more convenient.
For more information, please call 07 3218 2171 for a FREE no-obligation discussion with a sleep therapist.
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Posted on Tue, Oct 11, 2011
Sleep apnoea / apnea treatment may have taken a significant step forward, according to research currently being done by University Hospitals Case Medical Center.
The new treatment for apnoea / apnea involves an implantable electronic device designed to deliver mild stimulation to the main nerve of the tongue -- the hypoglossal nerve -- on each breathing cycle during sleep.
This stimulation is intended to restore tone to the muscles that control the base of the tongue, which prevent the tongue from collapsing and obstructing the airway during sleep.
Obstructive sleep apnea / apnea is know to reduce the quality of sleep, leading to a range of side effects and conditions including excessive daytimes sleepiness, reduced cognitive ability, acid reflux, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Unlike other surgical procedures, this device doesn't require removing or permanently altering a patient's facial or airway anatomy. Instead, the stimulator is implanted under the skin in the upper chest. A wire leads from the stimulator to the hypoglossal nerve in the neck while another wire off the stimulator gauges the air pressure from breathing. The patient uses a hand-held control to turn on the stimulator at bedtime and off when getting up in the morning.
The study is being conducted at leading medical centers across the United States and in Europe.
"Studies have shown that sleep apnea is as prevalent as adult diabetes and asthma, and the consequences of OSA [obstructive sleep apnea] range from disruptive to life-threatening," said Dr. Kingman Strohl, principal investigator.
While many patients have found help with continuous positive air pressure through CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure] therapy, for some patients it is too difficult to comply with, and thus ineffective. In the past, the only professional treatment alternatives have been OAT (oral appliance therapy) or surgical intervention to remove or tension excess tissue in the upper airway and oral cavity.
Let's hope this new form of treatment proves viable.
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Posted on Mon, Oct 03, 2011
Sleep studies performed on 132 obese male and female patients has found a massive 64% suffered from obstructive sleep apnoea / apnea.
The study was conducted over three years and reported recently in the Journal of Sleep & Breathing. Diagnostic sleep studies (polysomnograms) were performed on patients preparing to undergo gastric bypass surgery between January 2004 and January 2007.
Where obstructive sleep apnoea / apnea (OSA) was found, it was graded as mild (less than 15 apnoeic events per hour of sleep), moderate (15 to 30 apnoeic events per hour of sleep) or severe (30 or more apnoeic events per hour of sleep), as indicated by the apnoea hypopnoea index / apnea hypopnea index (AHI).
The study also considered factors such as the patients’ gender, age, weight, height, body mass index, neck circumference, and waist circumference. In the patients with OSA, body mass index (BMI), neck circumference and age were higher than in patients without OSA. Waist circumference was not found to have any correlation with the existence of OSA, but BMI, age and male gender were each found to be independent predictors of sleep apnoea / apnea.
With the female patients, high BMI and age greater than 49 years were the only significant predictors of moderate or severe OSA. The study found that men and women over 49 years of age have the greatest risk for OSA. The prevalence of moderate or severe sleep apnoea / apnea was 71 percent in the male and 31 percent in the female patients.
The researchers recommend mandatory preoperative sleep studies for severely obese patients.
Interestingly, the existence of a sleep disordered breathing condition such as obstructive sleep apnoea / apnea has previously been found to be a cause of metabolic retardation. This raises an interesting question: Did the patients have a sleep disordered breathing condition in the first place which contributed to their obesity by slowing their metabolism? Or was the patient’s sleep disordered breathing condition as a consequence of their obesity?
The relationship between obesity and sleep apnoea / apnea is probably circular. That is, obese patients are more likely to suffer from a sleep disordered breathing condition. At the same time, people with a sleep disordered breathing condition are more likely to have a slow metabolism and thus gain weight. Treatment for both conditions (obesity and sleep disordered breathing, particularly obstructive sleep apnoea / apnea) should therefore be provided to patients who suffer from these co-morbidities.
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