Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
- Loud, persistent snoring. The loud snoring is often followed by periods of silence when the airway is completely obstructed. These pauses are often followed by gasps or choking sounds as the person resumes breathing.
- Unexplained daytime sleepiness. People with sleep apnea are prone to dozing off while at work or driving or even during conversations. Sleep apnea sufferers are up to six times as likely to get into repeated auto accidents.
- Poor sleep. Since the brain repeatedly jolts the body to wake up and resume breathing, sleep quality is disturbed throughout the night.
Other symptoms include:
- Hypertension
- Morning headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Forgetfulness
- Mood disturbance
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Frequent urination at night (nocturia)
- Sore throat or dry mouth in the morning
- Insomnia
- Night sweats
- Unexplained weight gain
- Increased heart rate
- Diminished sex drive
Children with sleep apnea may exhibit hyperactivity, poor academic performance and hostile behavior. Bedwetting and unusual sleep positions are also seen in children with sleep apnea.
Treatment
- According to one study, the 5-year risk of death for moderate-to-severe sleep apnea patients was 14% for those who refused CPAP treatment compared to 4% for those receiving CPAP.
- In the US, diagnosing and treating sleep apnea can halve patients’ healthcare costs.
- Untreated sleep apnea costs $1,336 more in health care costs per person, compared to individuals without sleep apnea. This accounts for an estimated $3.4 billion a year in additional medical costs.
- Approximately 95% of patients with OSA will have a 90%-95% reduction in their apnea-hypopnea index with CPAP treatment.
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