Monday, April 5, 2010
If you have shallow breathing or pauses in breaths while you sleep, that's a clear sign of sleep apnea. This chronic condition often leaves people feeling sleepy during the day and can increase risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, and diabetes.A new study in the journal Ophthalmology links the most common form of sleep apnea - called obstructive sleep apnea to an eye disorder called floppy eyelid syndrome. In this condition, a patient has elastic upper lids that are easily folded up. This condition is hard to diagnose, and is most often seen in obese patients.
Researchers examined 102 patients with floppy eye syndrome and 102 controls. They found that about one-third of patients with floppy eyelid syndrome also had obstructive sleep apnea, and the association was still statistically significant when controlling for body mass index. The study also confirmed earlier findings that the cornea disease keratoconus is also associated with floppy eye syndrome. In this condition, the cornea becomes thin and cone-shaped.
There are two more common types of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. The third type is a mixed apnea, a combination of the two previous types. As the name suggests, this is sleep apnea caused by an obstruction. The obstruction develops when one's upper airway muscles relax and collapse during sleep. It also develops when the weight of the neck narrows the airway.
Causes of Sleep Apnea
If you have sleep apnea, you may observe the following:
- Excessive sleepiness even after a good night's sleep.
- Snoring (The volume of the snoring does not absolutely indicate the severity of obstruction. There may not be enough air movement to make much sound if there is severe obstruction. On the other hand, the sign that is most suggestive of sleep apneas occurs when snoring stops).
- Irregular breathing during sleep (gasping, long pauses, etc - a spouse or partner may notice these)
- Poor concentration and memory.
- Morning headaches.
- Sexual dysfunction.
- Excessive weight
- Smoking
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Stroke or brain tumor
Apnea may have the tendency to complicate major surgeries Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment (CPAP).
With Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea such as Pramana can start sleeping well and feeling well-rested. CPAP, a non-invasive treatment, is the most widely accepted in treating patients with sleep apnea. It uses a machine that delivers air pressure through a mask placed over the nose while sleeping. The greater air pressure helps keep the airways open and prevents apnea. It can even halt snoring.
posted by emedinfo
@12:25 AM
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