Sleep Apnea Increases Your Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
Untreated sleep apnea increases a patients risk of sudden death by heart attack, according to recent research at the Mayo Clinic. This finding stresses the importance of CPAP therapy to treat sleep apnea.
In a study of more than 10,000 patients with heart disease, sleep apnea was the second leading cause of sudden death. Being over the age of 60 was the first.
If left untreated, apnea causes nighttime oxygen levels in the blood to drop. As a result of the blood having less oxygen, the heart becomes over-stressed trying to get sufficient oxygen to the brain and body.
The Mayo research shows the link between sleep apnea and heart attacks: due to the decreased oxygen, the patient's blood vessels alter in a way that promotes heart disease. (Other cardiovascular diseases that apnea exacerbates include hypertension and stroke " along with Alzheimers.)
In a nutshell: If the air passage restricts the oxygen to the blood, the body and brain begin to experience oxygen-deprivation.
The National Apnea Association (NAA) strongly urges apnea patients to regularly use the most widely prescribed form of sleep apnea treatment: CPAP (continuous positive air pressure). Other benefits of regular CPAP use include higher energy levels, less frequent or severe depression and easier weight loss.
To avoid apneas health risks, nightly use of CPAP equipment is required. Of course, wearing a sleep mask while sleeping is not easy for most people. In some ways it is not surprising that the national average for compliance with CPAP therapy is only 50%.
The NAA recommends three time-proven strategies to increase your chances of successful CPAP therapy:
1. Only buy doctor-recommended CPAP equipment " namely these three manufacturers: ResMed, Fisher & Paykel, and Respironics. These three manufacturers invest millions in R&D each year. Unfortunately, many websites unknowingly offer 'questionable' CPAP equipment manufactured in China that neither your doctor nor the NAA would recommend.
2. Only buy your CPAP equipment from an authorized dealer. Avoid the many questionable websites that sell grey-market CPAP equipment. By buying from a ResMed Preferred Internet Provider, you can be sure that your equipment is brand new (not used equipment that is refurbished to look like new). Avoiding used equipment is important given that some used equipment has not even been fully sterilized, putting you at risk of respiratory infections.
3. Get the help and support that you deserve to make CPAP easier. The research shows that patients who get CPAP coaching basically double their chances of success: from under 50% to over 90%. An example of a CPAP supplier who provides free coaching is MySleepMask.com, the NAAs 2008 award winner of Online CPAP Supplier of the Year.