Untreated, severe obstructive sleep apnea more than doubles your risk of dying from heart disease, the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project warns in conjunction with American Heart Month in February.
Project partners—including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Sleep Research Society (SRS)—are launching the “Sleep Apnea Hurts Hearts” campaign to raise public awareness and urge individuals with symptoms of sleep apnea to talk to a doctor about their risk.
“Obstructive sleep apnea is a dangerous disease that can severely damage your heart if left untreated,” says Ronald Chervin, MD, president of the AASM and a spokesperson for the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project, in a release. “With millions of sufferers remaining undiagnosed, it is critical to raise nationwide awareness about obstructive sleep apnea so that it can be treated with CPAP therapy, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular death.”
According to the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project, there are five key warning signs and risk factors for sleep apnea: snoring, choking or gasping during sleep, fatigue or daytime sleepiness, obesity (BMI of 30 or higher), and high blood pressure.
Severe Damage
Millions of people with sleep apnea remain untreated, which can lead to dangerous health consequences—including life-threatening effects on heart health. The National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project warns that untreated, severe obstructive sleep apnea hurts HEARTS by increasing the risk of:
H – Heart failure
E – Elevated blood pressure
A – Atrial fibrillation
R – Resistant hypertension
T – Type 2 diabetes
S – Stroke
“It is clear that untreated, severe obstructive sleep apnea may have a devastating impact on heart health,” says Janet B. Croft, PhD, senior chronic disease epidemiologist in CDC’s Division of Population Health. “Anyone who has symptoms of sleep apnea such as loud snoring in addition to obesity and a heart problem or high blood pressure should discuss their risk for sleep apnea with their doctor.”
The American Heart Association (AHA) recently released a scientific statement on sleep duration and quality, which stated that moderate and severe sleep apnea are associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. The authors of the AHA statement recommended that a public health campaign addressing sleep behavior should be launched to promote ideal cardiac health.
Damage Control
Fortunately, treatments for obstructive sleep apnea are available. Following diagnosis by a board-certified sleep medicine physician, the most commonly prescribed treatment for sleep apnea is CPAP. According to a recent meta-analysis of 27 studies involving more than three million participants, the risk of cardiovascular mortality was reduced to normal levels in patients with sleep apnea who were treated with CPAP therapy.
The National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project recommends that people who have been prescribed CPAP therapy for sleep apnea should use the treatment nightly to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death. Individuals who prefer a treatment alternative should discuss their treatment options with a board-certified sleep medicine physician at a sleep disorders center that is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
As sleep apnea patient who has been using cpap for 7 years without success has made the future for me at risk. Sleep medicine physicians are unable to find the reason for lack of solution to increase sleeping hours REM. Tried 5 masks and 4 sleep doctors and still reason for tiredness and napping remain illusive. Appreciate article.
Did you check on abnormal other issues that may also affect your sleeping. I.e I have restless leg syndrome and taking medicine for it. W/o medicine my sleep was being interrupted. Now with both the CPAP and meds for restless legs I sleep like a champ. Also stop caffeine after 6pm
Well with central sleep apnea the sleep apnea can be caused by other issues such as a nervous system problem or brain damage (potentially from a concussion or mild stroke) or from a brain-stem lesion.
It’s important to see a neurologist if an overnight sleep study shows this to be the type you have.
You can also have both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.
HOW MUCH DOES THIS COST? DOES MEDICARE PAY FOR IT? I HAVE UPMC FOR LIFE
Medicare covers CPAP and any expenses associated with it.
I found out yesterday from a sleep study I did last week that I have severe sleep apnea. What prompted the sleep study was a emergency surgery to remove gallbladder under anesthesia I stop breathing multiple times. I am being set up as of now for CPAP machine. Thank you for this information on this website. I have a better understanding and realize that I could have died from this disease.
Thank you,
Sandra
have had sleep apnea severe for years and now i can say i believe this to be true. i am 43 have had a stent in the front part of my heart 95 percent blocked my 02 droppes to 67 percent while sleeping. so i have heart disease and type 2 diabetes, im exhausted
hard to start using machine so uncomfortable but must try also high blood pressure all the time sleepy during day im a mess
I just found out that I have severe sleep apnea about 3 weeks ago. I am 51 and quite heavy. I have always been a loud snorer
I got married about 5 years ago and I ended up in Emergency on New Year’s Eve with a sharp pain in my arm and a blood pressure of 220/110 – they initially thought I was having a heart attack but it turned out that I had one artery 80% blocked so I had a stent installed and was put on blood pressure meds
Since then I have have been trying to loose weight – but nothing has worked – I dieted and exercised diligently for months and months and nothing – the weight was the same or even gained. I was exhausted all the time but because of my love for my wife I forced myself to keep going.
Doctor tested me for diabetes and I am glucose intolerant but not to the point of needing meds – put me on Metforman anyway – still nothing. I became increasingly frustrated and depressed – I all but gave up.
I was ALWAYS dog tired – did not feel like I slept at all at night – I was falling asleep at my desk at work and would fall asleep at the drop of a hat watching TV or when my wife was driving the car – Thank god by some miracle I did not fall asleep when I was driving.
A co-worker noticed me snoring at my desk one day and asked me if I had ever been tested for apnea – I asked my wife about my sleep habits and she said that sometimes she thought I would stop breathing during the night – so I asked my doctor to set me up with a sleep study.
The results were scary as hell – I was having about 900 eventsper night – AHI was 97 – blood O2 was dropping to 77%
I had said that sometimes I just felt like I could lie down and die – well the truth was that I almost did do exactly that.
I got a CPAP that day and started using it – I felt better by the next morning and each day since. The difference is AMAZING – I feel so much better now and I am no longer falling asleep at work or watching TV or any other completely inappropriate time.
I have not been dieting or exercising (I did it for so long with zero results that I had lost all hope and gave up) but already in 3 weeks I have lost 6 pounds.
CPAP gave me my life back – there is no doubt in my mind – my life has been improved so much I would consider it to be a miracle – and I do not use the term lightly – I am a very skeptical person but he difference is so tremendous.
Please – if you suspect that you have this issue – get it checked – it could make you live a lot longer and a lot better. It is truly a modern miracle for those that suffer like I was.
Dean,
I gotta tell you. Yeah, what you said was exactly right on about how the CPAP machines make you feel.and function. I had a sleep study done here in Norfolk about a week ago and after just one night on the CPAP machine, during a sleep study, my day just fantastic, energized, and felt more purposeful than in had in some time. Also the positive vibes lasted for a day or two beyond the scope of the treatment time.
Numerous staff left a msg stating severe obstructive sleep epniea and judging by the tone of her voice …. I’m wondering how bad bad can it be? BRIGHT SIDE Maybe I’ll get a CPAP machine.
I was diagnosed with Severe Obstructive sleep apnea a couple weeks ago. Now I’m having to wait to get my CPAP machine…it’s a SEVEN WEEK WAIT! How “normal” is it to have to wait that long? I’m just so ready to feel energy again. This totally sucks!