Sleep apnea is a dangerous sleep disorder characterized by snoring and excessive sleepiness during the day. Furthermore, sleep apnea lead to hypertension, a variety of cardiovascular disorders, diabetes and stroke. Sleep apnea occurs due to narrowing of the airway during sleep. As a result, the supply of oxygen to be repeatedly interrupted during the night.In the study population, among men, 42.9% had no breathing disturbances during sleep, 33.2% diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, 15.7% moderate and 8.2% of them experienced severe sleep apnea. Whereas in women 25% were diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, sleep apnea was 8% and 3% of severe sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea Causes:
patients with Sleep Apnea is caused by some diseases such as the following:
- hypertension
- coronary heart disease
- stroke
- Metabolic syndrome (metabolic syndrome)
- depression
Sleep Apnea Signs:
Patients with Sleep Apnea or OSA is generally caused by poor sleep quality such as:
- Excessive sleepiness during the day
- Snoring during sleep
- Stop breathing during sleep
- Frequent waking during sleep because the choking
Other symptoms are also often associated with OSA include:
- Memory loss / forgetfulness
- Decline in intellectual abilities (cognitive)
- Decreased sexual desire
- Depression
- Headache in the morning (wake up)
Sleep Apnea Treatments:
The purpose of handling / treatment of OSA would prevent symptoms of OSA and the effects of OSA itself as snoring, excessive sleepiness during the day (excessive daytime sleepness) and prevent the continued impact of the body such as the risk of high blood pressure and other diseases. Management of OSA include:
- Lifestyle changes including weight loss, exercise, sleep modification techniques (sleeping on the side, raise the pillow), avoid smoking, alcohol, sleeping medications, and stress.
- CPAP (continuous positive airway presure) is a device worn during sleep where the function is to provide positive air pressure to the airway during sleep, so there is no airway obstruction.
- Dental devices / oral breathing devices aimed at keeping the airway open during sleep to reposition the way the position of the tongue and chin.
- Medicine treatments that helps to keep awake during the day.
- Surgery.
According to Dr. David Rapoport of New York University who also participated in the study, the best current treatment is to use a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), a mask that delivers pressurized air to open the airway during sleep. While other alternative is surgery, including removal of tonsils if necessary. Another option is to use a mouth that can push the lower jaw forward.
Please note in general, that the management of OSA or Sleep Apnea in children and adults are no different. but in general the choice of tonsillectomy (tonsillectomy) with or without adenoidectomy be the first choice in children because enlarged tonsils (palatine tonsila) is the leading cause of OSA in children. The use of CPAP in children is not done if the application allows the option of surgery.
See also related symptoms such as, Orthorexia Nervosa and Hemophilia in the previous article only in PleaseDoctor.
