Last updated on July 7th, 2023 at 02:04 pm
There have been a few interesting stories involving Sleep Apnoea over the last couple of weeks, so here’s a quick round-up of what’s been going on.
Probably the most important news is the story we covered in our last blog entry; that of an Australian Sleep Clinic showing a direct link between weight and Sleep Apnoea. After studying 20 years of records, they found unquestionable correlation between increasing weight and more severe Sleep Apnoea. Although the link has long been made, it’s the first time that it has had some hard statistics to prove it.
On a similar note, there was a story in the Daily Mail last week about a girl who has been diagnosed with Sleep Apnoea and has vowed to lose 5 stones in the next year. Doctors had warned her that her condition could kill her – which may sound a little over the top as to many it just results in snoring and being tired during the day. It is very easy to forget that Sleep Apnoea itself can be fatal, and for a girl who weighs 16 stone at just 14 years of age that risk is very apparent.
A study by the Walter Reed Army Medical Centre in America, a respected hospital for ex-service people, has conducted a study which showed that weight-loss surgery does not eliminate Sleep Apnoea. 24 patients were from an average BMI of 52 down to an average of 32 but only 1 had their Sleep Apnoea “cured” after the gastric-band operation. It is worth noting that a BMI of 32 is still considered obese so it is perhaps not surprising that they still had OSA, but it is an interesting study nevertheless.
Although Sleep Apnoea itself can be fatal, as mentioned above, the major problem with it is that it can lead to other health problems. A recent study has shown that Sleep Apnoea sufferers are 58% more likely to develop heart disease. This is most likely due to the increased strain placed on the heart when an apnoea occurs. So your CPAP therapy is not only helping you sleep soundly, it could also be reducing your chances of developing heart disease – a win-win situation if ever there was one!
Those who drive while tired are risking their insurance policies according to a report. A study of 800 drivers conducted by Direct Line found that one in ten people admitted to driving while tired at least once a week, with 74% having done so at least once over the last year. Daytime tiredness is one of the main Sleep Apnoea symptoms, so if you feel tired all the time then it is worth getting it checked out – especially if you still feel tired after 8 hours sleep.
All of these news stories were broadcast via our Twitter account shortly after they first broke. If you follow us on Twitter, then you can be kept up to date with the latest Sleep Apnoea stories as soon as they happen. We’ll do a fortnightly round up on this blog so that we can keep all of you up to date with what’s happening in the world of Sleep Apnoea. If you come across an interesting news story that you’d like us to publicise, drop us a comment on our CPAP Blog or on our SDB Twitter and we’ll spread the word!