Sleep Apnea: Treatment May Help Keep BP Low


CPAP Linked to Lower Hypertension Risk, but Questions Remain
By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

May 22, 2012 -- People with obstructive sleep apnea have an increased risk for high blood pressure and heart disease, and now two new studies suggest that treating the disorder may lower this risk.

In one study, patients with obstructive sleep apnea who slept with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment appeared to have a reduced risk for developing high blood pressure.

Another study that included patients who used a CPAP machine for more than four hours a night, but not less, appeared to have a lower high blood pressure risk.

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the airways become narrowed or blocked during sleep, leading to pauses in breathing from a few times a night to hundreds of times.

CPAP opens airways by forcing air into the nostrils through a mask worn while sleeping.

The studies, published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, add to the evidence that positive air pressure treatment lowers heart risk in patients with obstructive sleep apnea -- but important questions remain, experts say.

"We know that obstructive sleep apnea is a potential cause of high blood pressure, and we know that CPAP use is associated with reductions in blood pressure in people with hypertension," says sleep specialist Vishesh K. Kapur, MD, of the University of Washington, Seattle. "And now there is reasonable evidence that this treatment can prevent high blood pressure in patients who don't already have it."
Sleep Apnea Often Not Diagnosed

Almost 1 in 5 adults in the United States has mild to severe sleep apnea, but only about 10% have been diagnosed with the disorder.

CPAP has been shown to improve quality of life and daytime sleepiness, but adherence is an issue because many patients find the masks too uncomfortable to wear.

While studies strongly suggest a causal role for obstructive sleep apnea in high blood pressure, confirming the association has been difficult because the disorder is common in people with other risk factors for high blood pressure, such as obesity.

In one of the newly published studies, researchers from Lleida, Spain's, Institut de Recerca Biomedica recruited around 700 sleep apnea patients and...Read More Here: http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/news/20120522/sleep-apnea-treatment-may-reduce-risk-high-bp

Surgery for Sleep Apnea?


Do you:
  • snore every night?
  • wake suddenly during the night perspiring, choking or gasping for air?
  • wake in the morning with headaches or a sore throat?
  • fight falling asleep during the day, at work or while driving?
  • feel irritable, have memory loss or a lack of concentration each day?
  • suffer with obesity, reflux or high blood pressure?

Sleep disorders are a silent epidemic affecting the world's population. The debilitating conditions of these disorders include insomnia, persistent sleep deprivation, restless legs syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea. Truly fortunate are those individuals who, over an average lifetime, will experience 219,000 hours of restful nocturnal slumber. But for more than one third of the population, each night becomes an endless battle of interruptions caused by lifestyle choices, work schedules or poor health.
It is well documented that disordered sleeping becomes progressively apparent as we age, with 40 percent of the adult population snoring. Chronic snoring is a major symptom of obstructive sleep apnea. Unfortunately, 80 to 90 percent of adults with clinically significant obstructive sleep apnea remain undiagnosed. The effects of sleep apnea are not limited to adults; mouth breathing is....READ MORE HERE

Worth Checking Out...They Say It Cures Sleep Apnea

Check This Out...they say it cures Sleep Apnea Without a CPAP

ATTENTION: If you have sleep apnea this may be the most valuable letter you will ever read...

"DON'T USE CPAP ONE MORE NIGHT UNTIL YOU READ THIS GUIDE ON PROVEN SLEEP APNEA CURES"
Here's the true story of nine men and women who cured their sleep apnea in less than 6 months - and threw their CPAP away for good! Learn how these proven sleep apnea treatments work, and how you can put them to work for YOU



 From the desk of:
Marc MacDonald, M.Sc.
Independent Sleep Apnea Researcher
Dear Fellow Sleep Apnea Sufferer,

If you are reading this letter, you (or someone you love) suffers from sleep apnea. And you are looking for a proven way to cure sleep apnea, so you can throw away that CPAP for good! Let me assure you that you are in the right place.

Through much research and countless conversations with sleep apnea survivors, I have discovered that there ARE proven cures for sleep apnea.

And I have documented proof of these alternative sleep apnea cures - through conversations with 9 survivors of sleep apnea. Many of these survivors tried CPAP and just couldn't stand it. Or it simply didn't help their apnea. So they searched for alternatives, and

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An Interesting Read: Sleeping Disorders Extremely Common In The Basin 03/22/12



Sleeping Disorders Extremely Common In The Basin 03/22/12

CBS 7 News
Robert Guaderrama
rguaderrama@cbs7.com
March 22, 2012

Odessa, Texas – According to medical experts, 1 out of 5 Americans is living with some type of sleeping disorder. Sleep Apnea is one of the most common sleeping disorders and doctors tell us most people living with it don't even know and diagnosis can change their life.

"Unfortunately it's not well recognized by physicians and patients," said Amareanath Ghanta, Director, Medical Center Hospital Sleep Center.

Doctors say sleep disorders are extremely common in the Basin because of the prevalence of obesity.

"Because being heavy, the airway is narrowed and the fatty tissue closes off the airway during the night," said Ghanta.

But it's not only the obese who are at risk, anyone can... Click For More Here

Sleep disorders can affect anyone at any age




Sleep disorders can affect anyone at any age and can be caused by a variety of reasons from anxiety to jet lag. There are also a wide variety of different sleep disorders including insomnia, sleep apnea, night terrors and narcolepsy.

Insomnia is one of the more common sleep disorders and can be caused by worrying, anxiety, illness, working shift hours and jet lag. Often a doctor will prescribe a course of sleeping tablets, however natural herbal remedies such as valerian and st john’s wort will usually work well for many people.

Insomnia doesn’t always mean lying awake all night, you may be able to fall asleep with no problem, however you then wake up during the night at frequent intervals leaving you feeling tired and lacking energy during the day. In order for your body to benefit from sleep you need to enter the deeper stages of sleep which only occur after being asleep for long periods of time. Short bursts of sleep are not so beneficial. If you suffer from this sleep disorder you can help yourself by ensuring you get plenty of exercise during the day, and avoiding alcohol before going to bed.
Read More Here

If you've been diagnosed with ADHD, consider getting tested for sleep apnea. The symptoms of ADHD mimic the symptoms of sleep apnea. It's not at all uncommon for people (kids and adults) who've been diagnosed with ADHD, to actually have sleep apnea instead.

I consulted with Dr. Frank Barnhill, MD, b oard certified family physician practicing child and adult preventative care/ADHD-behavior medicine in upstate South Carolina. People who have been labeled as "ADHD" should get tested for sleep apnea, which afflicts some 18 million Americans, and many don't even know they have it.

What does the test for sleep apnea involve? Dr. Barnhill says, "Spend the night hooked to a machine that monitors your breathing, brain activity, eye movement, muscle tone and oxygen levels."

Don't let this description intimidate you. The home test is quite simple: A device the size of a small TV is placed in your bedroom, and you simply clip a monitor to your finger at bedtime and snooze away with that on. In the morning you remove it, and a technician will return to pick up the unit, which will have recorded all your overnight data. Or, you may drop it off at...Read More Here