Do People Die from Sleep Apnea? – Understanding the Risks Involved

Do you have fragmented sleep all through the night?

Do you wake up oftentimes at night, struggling to breathe?

Is your partner tired of your heavy snoring and often reminds you to see a doctor?

Well, if your chronic, frequent snoring is associated with sleep apnea, there are a number of factors and issues to be aware of.  Basically, it’s a matter of cause and effect with sleep apnea being the cause (or trigger) and snoring being the effect (or result).  Sleep apnea is a serious sleep-related breathing disorder that should be treated immediately after diagnosis.  This is primarily due to the significant, adverse effects it can have on your body and overall well-being.

Sleep apnea is a disorder that is characterized by disruptions or interruptions to your breathing while you sleep.  Gasping is common among individuals suffering with this disorder as well as suddenly waking up due to the interruptions in their breathing. On the other hand, snoring is a disorder as well and results from blockages or congestion in the airway.  While sleep apnea can cause an individual’s snoring enlarged adenoids and enlarged tonsils can also lead to snoring issues.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleep related disorder that makes you stop breathing when you are asleep. The main reason that this happens is because of blockages in the airway or due to the lack of proper control of the brain on your breathing.

You wake up frequently all through the night gasping and choking just to resume breathing as lack of oxygen prompts survival reflex. It keeps you breathing, yet your sleep cycle is interrupted.

What are the types of sleep apnea?

An individual diagnosed with sleep apnea stops breathing for a few seconds, when asleep, all through the night. Though it is a sleep disorder, there are three types of sleep apnea, namely:

• Central sleep apnea: CSA leads to pauses in breathing at night due to neurological causes.
• Obstructive sleep apnea: OSA happens when the throat muscles relax, narrowing the airways. It leads to frequent pauses in breathing that can reduce the oxygen levels and increases the levels of carbon dioxide.
• Complex sleep apnea: CSA happens when the hypopneas or pauses in breathing persist even when the CPAP therapy is given for OSA. Restful sleep is fragmented and disrupted, leading to sleep deprivation.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

There are various symptoms of sleep apnea that need to be considered, if you are at risk of developing the sleep disorder. These include:

• Snoring– Heavy snoring regularly is one of the key symptoms of sleep apnea
• Pauses in breathing– All night through, there are a few seconds of breathing pauses, that can cause choking or gasping for breath.  
• Daytime sleepiness– Due to fragmented sleep, restful sleep is elusive, leading to poor alertness, daytime sleepiness and sleep deprivation.
• Insomnia– Difficulty falling asleep, wake up due to gasping for air and cannot sleep
• Memory problem– Poor concentration and having trouble remembering things
• Headache– Morning headaches which require medication or are difficult to treat
• Mood swings– Feeling impatient, depressed, grumpy or irritable
• Wake up gasping for breath: Hypopneas andapneic episodes mar normal sleep and individual wakes up gasping for breath.

Do People die from Sleep Apnea?

The simplest answer here is “Yes, they do.”  Unfortunately, most people are unaware of their snoring since it occurs while they’re asleep.  In most cases, they learn about their snoring from an annoyed or disgruntled parent or spouse.  Interestingly enough, if a person snores, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have sleep apnea.  The only way to be sure is to see a doctor or sleep specialist for a proper diagnosis of your condition.  Immediate treatment will ensure that more serious consequences do not arise.

If you are aware of the more serious health consequences of sleep apnea, it’s easy to understand why the answer to the question “Do people die from sleep apnea?” is YES.  The more common health consequences of sleep apnea include:

• cardiovascular diseases such as congestive heart failure and heart attacks
• cerebrovascular diseases such as strokes
• diabetes
• obesity

The more you learn about sleep apnea and the potential side effects of the disorder as well as the beneficial treatments that are currently available, the lower the risk of you suffering more serious health consequences in the future.

Cardiovascular Diseases

As per the results of a study published in the ‘Journal of the American College of Cardiology’, it brought to attention that individuals with sleep apnea are at a high risk of having a stroke, cardio-vascular diseases and high blood pressure. It was pointed out that reduced levels of oxygen due to sleep apnea episodes tend to trigger inflammations, nervous system activation and stress which enhances risks of cardiovascular issues.

Another research findings published in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed that people that snore regularly have more risk of developing ischemic heart diseases when compared with those that don’t snore. Some of the contributing factors include stress son the breathing airways and related inflammation.

Metabolic Issues

Many studies have found that sleep apnea is linked to a myriad of metabolic issues such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes. The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine has published research that highlighted that sleep apnea is directly linked to insulin resistance and glucose intolerance.

Cognitive Impairment

Among the studied risks of sleep apnea, cognitive impairment is one of the major ones. A study in the ‘Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease’ published findings that senior adults with sleep apnea has more chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease and had mild cognitive impairment. Fragmented sleep and episodes of hypoxia led to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration.

Facts and Statistics regarding Sleep Apnea and Death

OSA (obstructive sleep apnea), the most common form of the disorder commonly affects between 20% and 30% of American men and women.  Numerous clinical and research studies have determined that individuals with OSA have an elevated risk of “all-cause” mortality (dying from any cause) compared to those individuals who don’t have the disorder.

As mentioned above, OSA that is left untreated has been linked to an elevated risk of congestive heart failure and heart attacks.  Furthermore, research has suggested that the elevated risk of mortality among sleep apnea sufferers could be associated with the severity of their breathing disruptions.  Additionally, doctors measure the severity of these disruptions based on the individual’s symptoms as well as their AHI (apnea-hypopnea index) which is based on calculating the occurrence of these disruptions during sleep.

What are the warning signs of sleep apnea?

Though sleep apnea symptoms show up early on, oftentimes you may miss it due to the fact that you are asleep. The causes of sleep apnea maybe different for individuals, while the common warning signs include:

• Dry mouth on waking up
• Loud snoring
• Pauses in breathing at night
• Gasping for breath multiple times at night
• Headache in the morning
• Difficulty falling asleep, insomnia
• Daytime drowsiness
• Irritability and mood swings

Men are 2-3 times more at risk of sleep apnea than women, as they have a thicker neck, family history of snoring and obesity that can increase the risk.

The Importance of Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea

A sleep study is done at a specialized sleep center to diagnose Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Various parameters are tracked including heart rate, breathing patterns, airflow and blood oxygen levels, to ascertain the severity of sleep apnea. Some of the treatment options include:

• CPAP therapy: An effective treatment that utilizes a mask to provide constant pressurized oxygen and air to ensure proper oxygen flow when asleep.
• Lifestyle changes: From avoiding alcohol, weight loss quitting smoking, to side sleeping can help reduce the sleep apnea symptoms.

Use of oral appliances and surgery: From using chin guards, tongue aligners to surgery options such as tonsillectomy might be required.

6 Famous People who died from Sleep Apnea

Not surprisingly, sleep apnea and its health consequences do not play favorites when it comes to who is adversely affected.  It not only affects the average American, it has also taken its toll on numerous celebrities.  The famous people who died from sleep apnea are listed below:

• Amanda Peterson – actress who died at the age of 43 from complications attributed to sleep apnea (according to family members)
• Antonin Scalia – Supreme Court Justice who died at the age of 79 from heart problems attributed to sleep apnea
• Carrie Fisher – actress, comedienne, and writer who died at the age of 60 from a heart attack that medical examiners attributed to sleep apnea
• Jerry Garcia – guitarist and singer-songwriter who was a diabetic and died at the age of 53 from a heart attack, one of the potential dangers of sleep apnea
• John Candy – actor and comedian who died at the age of 43 of a heart attack and symptoms related to sleep apnea
• Reggie White – professional football player who died at the age of 43 in his sleep from complications attributed to sleep apnea

Although effective treatments are widely available, you and your partner or spouse can enjoy the temporary relief from chronic snoring with Asonor Anti-snoring Spray.  To learn more about this amazing product, visit our website or feel free to e-mail us your questions to [email protected]. Additionally, if you require more assistance or information, our business representatives are online for your assistance. Call us now!.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it can be seen that sleep apnea poses a multitude of health risks. Some of these include heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and brain stroke. If it is untreated, it can lead to fatigue, sleep deprivation, impaired cognitive function and poor concentration.

FAQs

What happens if sleep apnea goes undiagnosed?

If sleep apnea goes undiagnosed, you may be at a risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, chronic fatigue, and cognitive impairment.

How does sleep apnea affect someone’s life?

Sleep apnea can lead to disrupted sleep, fatigue, poor alertness, behavioral and cognitive impairment, high blood pressure and stroke.

Is sleep apnea a risk factor for death?

Yes, it is true that sleep apnea enhances the risk of death by increasing your chance of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. If left untreated, it can lead to complications in your health.

How long will it take to reverse damage from sleep apnea?

The time to reverse damage from the sleep disorder may vary, but it can take weeks or even months with treatment.  Improvement in heart health and cognition may depend upon severity.

Does anyone ever pass a sleep apnea test?

Yes, many people pass the sleep apnea test if they show normal breathing patterns, no apneas or hypopneas during sleep and no significant oxygen drops.