of Sleep Apnea
Risk Factors & Causes
Obstructive sleep apnea can affect people of all ages, including children. Particularly people over the age of forty and those who are overweight are more at risk. OSA is more common in males than females. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea have certain physical traits and clinical features in common such as excess weight, nasal obstructions, low-hanging soft palate, enlarged tonsils or a small jaw with an overbite. Other risk factors include smoking, drinking, use of sedatives or tranquilizers and family history. Central sleep apnea is usually seen in patients with central nervous system dysfunction, such as those who have had a stroke or who have neuromuscular diseases. It is also common in patients with brain tumors, heart failure and other forms of cardiac or pulmonary disease.
Effects Of Untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is considered a serious medical problem. If left untreated, OSA can result in a number of health problems including hypertension, stroke, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy (enlargement of the muscle tissue of the heart), congestive heart failure, diabetes and heart attacks. The ongoing state of fatigue caused by sleep apnea can lead to problems at work or school as well. It may be responsible for job impairment, work-related accidents and motor vehicle crashes. Children and adolescents may experience academic underachievement.
Some studies have shown that those with untreated OSA died years earlier tan those receiving treatment.
