Wednesday, February 29, 2012

CDC Issues Warning About Nasal Washes

Nasal rinses can be very helpful for allergies, but can also be deadly:

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/02/28/cdc-issues-warning-about-nasal-washes/

" It’s because of a brain-eating amoeba called Naegleria fowleri" that can be present in tap water.

Many patients with sleep apnea use nasal rinses.... these are safe as long as boiled or distilled water are used. Similarly, tap water should not be used in CPAP humidifiers (distilled water is recommended).

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Heavy NFL players are at increased risk of Death

"The heaviest athletes are more than twice as likely to die before their 50th birthday than their teammates, according to a Scripps Howard News Service study of 3,850 professional-football players who have died in the last century."

http://www.sleepdt.com/heavy-nfl-players-twice-as-likely-to-die-before-50/

Many of these athletes likely had untreated or inadequately treated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The heavier NFL players tend to have large necks. Increased neck size (greater than 16 inches in men) is a risk factor for OSA, whether the increased neck size is due to fat or muscle. Obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of various types of heart disease, including coronary artery disease, heart attack, and congestive heart failure.

An earlier 1994 study found that "offensive and defensive linemen had a 52 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease than the general population."

Sleep Disorders are High in the South

A recent study found that "Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and West Virginia had the highest rates of sleep disturbance and daytime fatigue"

I suspect that the high rate of sleep disturbance and fatigue in the south is due to obesity, a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/02/24/southerners-sleepiest-in-us-study-says/#ixzz1nOmzb4lX

I will try to post a link to the actual research study later. As a southern sleep doctor (currently licensed in Mississippi and Alabama, formerly licensed in West Virginia), this topic is of concern to me.