Sleep Apnea Increases Your Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
Sleep apnea increases a patients risk of death by heart attack according to medical research from the Mayo Clinic. CPAP therapy is the prescribed treatment to avoid the risks associated with sleep apnea.
Over 10,000 patients were examined. The researchers found that sleep apnea increased the likelihood of sudden death among patients with heart disease. (As a risk factor, apnea was second only to being over 60 years of age.)
If left untreated, sleep apnea causes the oxygen levels in the blood to decrease during sleep. This, in turn, puts stress on the heart while it works harder to pump sufficient oxygen to the brain and body.
The Mayo research shows the link between sleep apnea and heart attacks: due to the decreased oxygen, the patient’s blood vessels alter in a way that promotes heart disease. (Other cardiovascular diseases that apnea exacerbates include hypertension and stroke ” along with Alzheimers.)
In a nutshell: If the air passage restricts the oxygen to the blood, the body and brain begin to experience oxygen-deprivation.
This is one of many reasons that the National Apnea Association (NAA) recommends that apnea patients utilize the most widely prescribed form of sleep apnea treatment: CPAP (continuous positive air pressure). Other reasons include increasing energy levels, decreasing depression and even assisting patients in losing weight.
Despite the added health benefits and effectiveness of prescribed treatment with CPAP therapy the average compliance for the nation is only 50%. This is because patients on therapy have to establish regular, nightly use of the equipment, which includes a CPAP mask connected to a tiny air compressor.
Patients can do three things to increase their chances of successful CPAP therapy:
1. Beware of low quality equipment often manufactured in China. Your sleep doctor or general practitioner should only recommend three manufacturers: ResMed, Fisher & Paykel, and Respironics. These three companies reportedly invest millions in research and development each year. Low quality equipment often does not meet the competitive standards of these three manufacturers and will not give you the same benefits or treat your apnea as effectively.
2. Only buy your CPAP equipment from an authorized dealer. Avoid the many questionable websites that sell grey-market CPAP equipment. By buying from a ResMed Preferred Internet Provider, you can be sure that your equipment is brand new (not used equipment that is refurbished to look like new). Avoiding used equipment is important given that some used equipment has not even been fully sterilized, putting you at risk of respiratory infections.
3. Get expert help and clinical support between doctor visits. Clinical studies indicate that patients who receive CPAP coaching will double their chances of success from under 50% to over 90%. The NAAs 2008 award winner of Online CPAP Supplier of the Year, MySleepMask.com, is an example of a CPAP supplier who provides free coaching.