Weight loss and supportive respiration therapy are the keys to controlling this common male disease.
Nighttime snoring and chronic daytime fatigue are clear symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In this common condition in men, the upper airway valves repeatedly close overnight, disrupting sleep and depriving the brain of oxygen.
Lifestyle changes can sometimes improve OSA. These include dropping pounds when you are obese. Avoiding alcohol within the evening, because it worsens underlying asthma. And sleeping in your side to assist keep the airways open.
The simplest treatment for OSA is wearing a face mask connected to a bedside air pump, a system called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. But some OSA patients struggle with mask discomfort and reject their CPAP. which leaves them with oxygen-
Deprived and drained, increases the chance of accidents and puts unnecessary stress on the guts.
Fortunately, mask suppliers normally offer a 30-day money-back try-out period for a wide selection of devices. CPAP should be employed when you can, as alternatives are limited and never as effective.
Stop bangCheck yourself for OSA. Having three or more of those indicators indicates possible sleep deprivation. Talk to your doctor about it. S Snoring: Have you been told that you just snore? T drained: Do you are feeling drained many of the day? Oh obstacle: Do you already know when you stop respiration when you sleep, or has anyone seen you do it? P Pressure: Do you've hypertension or are you taking medication to regulate hypertension? B Body Mass Index: A body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 puts you in danger for OSA. an age: Are you 50 or older? OSA becomes more common with age. N neck: Is your neck circumference greater than 17 inches (in men)? Yes Gender: are you male Men are more vulnerable to OSA. Image: Thinkstock |
Basics of OSA
Normally, the tissues within the upper airway collapse barely if you sleep, but you proceed to breathe freely. In OSA, the airway periodically collapses completely, blocking the back of the throat. This triggers apnea – a short lived cessation of normal respiration.
You may not realize you've apnea until a sleeping partner reports choking or gasping if you end up briefly awake, attempting to catch your breath. But it's also true that you could have OSA without snoring.
In older men, OSA could also be mistaken for nocturia — the necessity to rise up continuously at night to urinate. One possible explanation is that the struggle to breathe can create additional pressure within the abdomen, which presses on the bladder. Also, men with OSA get up more often, creating more opportunities to think, “I need to go to the bathroom.”
If your doctor suspects OSA, you might must book an evening in a sleep laboratory. There, sensors monitor your respiration, sleep rhythm, chest movement, and blood oxygenation when you sleep. However, for typical OSA, it's becoming more common to do the test yourself at home with the equipment you assemble. A sleep study that shows five or more apnea episodes (interruptions) per hour, with next-day fatigue, diagnoses OSA. In severe OSA, episodes can range from dozens to lots of per night.
Treatment of OSA greatly improves quality of life. Frequent awakenings and oxygen starvation result in fatigue, memory impairment, and increased risk of falls and automobile accidents. And snoring and panting is usually a real challenge for the one that shares your bed.
OSA and your heart
Untreated, OSA puts stress on all the cardiovascular system. Blood pressure rises at night and should remain elevated until the following day. People with untreated OSA are at increased risk of heart problems and stroke, however the evidence just isn't yet strong that CPAP use reduces this. Clinical trials are underway to find out whether continuous use of CPAP prevents heart attacks and strokes.
CPAP lowers blood pressure, but not dramatically. “It's not as big as what you usually get with blood pressure medications, but it's similar to the effect of changing to a low-salt diet,” says Dr. Patel.
Home sleep testing: a brand new optionDiagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) normally requires an overnight trip to a sleep lab. However, it's becoming more common for people to check themselves at home using self-operated devices. It is useful for individuals who have trouble sleeping in strange environments. Home sleep studies are best for individuals who have obstructive-type OSA that's attributable to a narrowing of the airways, versus an underlying neurological problem or lung disease. It's also less expensive than a visit to the sleep lab, so your medical health insurance may require you to go for a house study. |
Problems with CPAP?
CPAP and other variations of therapy require you to wear a mask all night. Full face masks fit over each the mouth and nose. Nasal masks fit over the nose only. New styles come out yearly, and premium masks are lightweight and fit comfortably. None of those mask options are inherently higher.
to others. The best mask is the one you may wear for probably the most part.
of the night.
Most people get used to CPAP, and a few even find that it makes them sleepy. However, some people cannot get used to it. Alternatives are limited and never as effective for most individuals. The necessary ones are as follows:
Excess oxygen. For individuals with moderate to severe OSA, some doctors may prescribe supplemental oxygen at night to offset the cardiovascular effects of apnea. However, the evidence that it helps just isn't very strong. In a recent clinical trial New England Journal of Medicinesupplemental oxygen had no effect on mean 24-hour blood pressure.
Surgery. Various surgical procedures have been developed to cut back snoring or correct the underlying structure of the airways. “Unfortunately, minor procedures are generally not effective in treating OSA, while major procedures are fairly major operations that can take one to two months to recover from,” says Dr. Patel. Dr. Patel says. “As a result, surgery is not a great option for most people.”
Oral instruments. Your dentist may make a special appliance at night to maneuver the jaw forward and keep the airway open. It doesn't work for everybody, and you may't use it when you wear dentures. But for somebody with mild-to-moderate OSA who can't persist with CPAP, wearing a dental appliance every night can, on average, reduce the monthly variety of respiration interruptions.
OSA and obesity
Being obese might be the most important single risk factor for OSA. “Getting everyone to their ideal body weight could probably eliminate half of all sleep deprivation,” says Dr. Patel.
But the connection between weight and OSA varies amongst individuals. If you will not be obese, you may still take OSA. And you may lose loads of weight and still have apnea.
Still, weight reduction along with continuous CPAP use provides additional blood pressure control. Weight loss also can reduce the variety of nighttime respiration problems you've.
Weight loss is most definitely to reverse OSA in individuals with mild cases, says Dr. Patel. “There have been several trials that suggest that in mild sleep deprivation, weight loss may be sufficient to reverse the sleep deprivation,” he says. However, he adds, “It's hard to predict in an individual how much weight you'll need to lose.”
But either way, you may't go flawed with maintaining a healthy weight. “Using CPAP will help you feel better, but losing weight will also improve your cardiovascular health more,” says Dr. Patel.