Michael Rack, MD
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Doctors and patients alike are beginning to realize that
sleep apnea in women is more common than previously thought. Men remain
statistically more likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but instead
of a ten-to-one ratio of men to women, it’s now thought to be three- or
four-to-one. At the same time, women also remain more likely to have sleep
apnea misdiagnosed as something else, such as chronic fatigue syndrome,
depression or simple insomnia.
OSA occurs when the soft tissues of the throat and at the
back of the mouth become overly relaxed at night, to the point where one’s
airflow is blocked upon breathing in. This results in a few seconds of not
breathing, which may be evidenced by snoring or gasping for breath during one’s
sleep, followed by daytime sleepiness. Though women with OSA may have these signs, they seem to
appear more often in men. Women with sleep apnea may notice their mouths being
very dry in the morning. They may also begin to wake up more often during the
night with the need to urinate. This is not
due to any real increase in urine production, but because the partial waking
that often occurs in OSA allows a person to notice the state of their bladder
more than when they are sleeping soundly.
The risk for OSA increases as a woman ages and it is
sometimes said that menopause increases the risk for it. However, here again,
appearances may be deceiving, with menopause getting the blame for simple
changes in soft tissue tone that come with aging. Another risk factor for OSA
in women, just as in men, is being overweight or obese. This is simply due to
the increased thickness of throat tissues that begin to accumulate fat cells.
In some studies, as many as 80% of obese women screened for sleep apnea were found
to have the condition. It can also flare up due to the weight gain of
pregnancy. Drinking alcohol before bed time also increases the likelihood of
OSA, as does smoking.
Though women are still a bit less likely than men to have
OSA, it unfortunately appears that their risk of mortality from it is greater
than in men. The reason for this is not clear, but it seems to be especially
true in regards to heart and circulation problems, i.e., decreased cardiovascular health. It was recently reported
that OSA increases the risk of developing so-called ‘soft’ plaques in
atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which are more likely to come
loose from blood vessel walls and form an embolus, blockage of an artery or
vein.
If a woman has sleep apnea, especially if she is overweight
or obese, she has a greater risk during pregnancy of developing the
life-threatening condition called pre-eclampsia, or of needing to deliver her
baby by caesarian section. Since pregnancy itself somewhat raises the risk of
OSA, this seems a real life case of double jeopardy! A pregnant woman may also
be more apt to attribute daytime sleepiness or fatigue to simply carrying a
baby, rather than to other possible causes.
For all these reasons, it is especially important for women
to know that they, too, are at risk for sleep apnea. If there are signs of dry
mouth, excessive daytime sleepiness, or any reports from her partner that she
is snoring, a woman should not hesitate to ask her doctor if she might have
sleep apnea. It is diagnosed definitively by performing an overnight sleep
study at the hospital. Because OSA can have serious health repercussions if
left untreated, insurance companies typically cover both the sleep study and the
therapy the condition requires if found. Women and men alike thus have nothing
to lose with a sleep
study, and may also gain a much better night’s sleep for their efforts.
Guest
article by Alex Smith of SleepDisorders.com.
8 comments:
I would like to suggest that the "obesity" seen in people with sleep disorders might be in many cases actually a "side"/other effect of the lack of sleep on the body. In fact, somewhere I saw a research article suggesting that very thing, but I don't know where. And a friend who is rail-thin and has been all her life finally got diagnosed -- she cannot believe the difference just a couple of weeks of CPAP treatment has made. I couldn't, either, though my sleep fragmentation was far, far worse than the incidents of OSA, which were bad enough. I want to see sleep quality front and center in medical assessments/physicals. I also believe we are going to find an awful lot of dementia is the end stage of long-term untreated sleep disorders. Thanks for your article -- it was far more informative that a lot of the stuff I read elsewhere. Will follow your work.
Home sleep test are used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
The medical industry is the only industry that makes more money by being incompetent.
Click Here And See Why American Doctors Kill More People Than the Nazis
Shocking Medical Error Data Click Here
Doctor Salaries Click Here
Doctors are greedy and dangerous!
Growthhormonenow provides high quality hormones that are completely injectable. They provide an efficient, effective way to get the results you need and want.
Growth Hormone UK | Growth Hormone | hgh for sale
Hygetropin | Hygetropin UK | Buy Hygetropin UK
Insulin | Buy Insulin | Insulin UK
Jintropin | Jintropin UK | Buy Jintropin UK
Kigtropin | Kigtropin UK | Buy Kigtropin UK
Riptropin | Riptropin UK | Buy Riptropin UK
Somatropin | Somatropin UK | Buy Somatropin UK
With the use of these growth hormone, many people have found their growth increase rapidly and have done it in the shortest, and healthiest way.
Growth Hormone UK | Growth Hormone | hgh for sale
Hygetropin | Hygetropin UK | Buy Hygetropin UK
Insulin | Buy Insulin | Insulin UK
Jintropin| Jintropin UK | Buy Jintropin UK
Kigtropin | Kigtropin UK | Buy Kigtropin UK
Riptropin| Riptropin UK | Buy Riptropin UK
Somatropin |Somatropin UK | Buy Somatropin UK
Melanotan 2 provides potential security from skin cancer development by darkening your skin. It increases secretion of melanin in body. When you buy Melanotan 2, prefer to choose from the online medical shops. It can be easily bought from the online shops as well as local medical shops but purchasing from online stores can be a beneficial option for users.
Melanotan 2 | Melanotan 2 uk | Melanotan Uk
Kamaraboutique.com only supply non-restricted kamagra medicines that we receive from the authenticated and reputed manufacturers such as Ajanta Pharma.
Kamagra UK | Buy Kamagra | Cheap Kamagra
Kamagra Tablets| Buy Kamagra tablets| Kamagra tablets UK
Kamagra Jelly - enhanced version of the ED medicine
WE WELCOME YOU ALL TO DEVANSH HERBAL HEALTH CARE.
We have Quality Rick Simpson Cannabis oil and medical marijuana for smokers,all types of cancer cure,insomnia,glaucoma,Diabetes,epilepsy,back pain,we also have the herbs that reduces stress and other illness. We are selling our products at very negotiable and workable prices. Apart from our very magnificent prices, when you buy from us, you are assured of the highest quality and purity available in the market,and we are 100% sure of our product, with a guaranteed discreet courier shipping or a special 24 hours confidential overnight delivery of the product to your address. We respect and value your privacy and will dont share your information with anyone. We offer discreet and Reliable packaging and delivery. -Fast and reliable shipment within 24hours within the US and 48 hours internationally, using courier service. Call or Text::::: +1936-2283-155, Email: devanshherbalheathcare@gmail.com for more information
Post a Comment