Can you live a long life with sleep apnea?-various-aspects-

Untreated Sleep Apnea Life Expectancy

Are you unfamiliar with sleep apnea or have you just recently been diagnosed with it?

Sleep apnea can seem quite alarming if you’re new to this information and are concerned about its dangers. However, there’s no need to worry! Sleep apnea will not be fatal to you immediately today, tomorrow, or in just a few days! If you’re curious about what sleep apnea actually is and whether you should seek treatment for it soon, let us provide some guidance before addressing all your questions.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder that affects sleep wherein a person’s breathing gets interrupted multiple times during rest, leading to disrupted sleep and diminished sleeping quality. The muscles of the airway relax numerous times during sleep, obstructing the airway and preventing the individual from obtaining sufficient air. After breathing halts for 10 seconds or longer, reflex responses occur, resulting in snoring or gasping before normal breathing resumes.

If you feel fatigued even after sleeping for 8 hours, it may indicate that you have sleep apnea! Even if you do not snore or gasp, but experience excessive daytime drowsiness intermittently, it is advisable to get tested for sleep apnea before it’s too late.

Sleep Apnea Diagnosis

Worrying about diagnosing sleep apnea should be the least of your concerns since it is quite straightforward and uncomplicated. There are two primary methods for diagnosing sleep apnea: polysomnography (PSG) and a home sleep apnea test, such as TipTraQ by PranaQ.

Polysomnography necessitates visiting the closest sleep clinic for an overnight sleep examination. In contrast, home sleep apnea tests eliminate this inconvenience. Our at-home sleep apnea test results are equally as reliable as PSG findings, and you can complete it all within the comfort of your home.

Our sleep apnea tracker simplifies and speeds up the diagnosis of your sleep apnea. Discover more about us!

Sleep Apnea Life Expectancy without Treatment

Individuals suffering from sleep apnea have been documented to exhibit symptoms of other severe health issues that can be life-threatening, including

• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Congenital heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes

The Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study conducted research in 1988, which included an 18-year follow-up for 1,522 participants. It was revealed that among those diagnosed with sleep apnea in 1988, individuals who died before the 2008 follow-up succumbed to cardiovascular disease or stroke. This statistic indicates a 20% higher probability than those who passed away with the same underlying health conditions but without sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea untreated does not directly lessen life expectancy. However, it does raise the chances that patients will experience life-threatening health issues that ultimately lead to reduced life expectancy.

What are the Consequences of Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea results in numerous consequences that can impact life both in the short term and the long term. Life-threatening health issues are among the long-term consequences of sleep apnea that may reduce life expectancy. Let us explore how the short-term consequences of sleep apnea differ from these and what you need to keep in mind regarding these consequences.

Short-term Consequences of Sleep Apnea

These short-term consequences of sleep apnea typically manifest as symptoms of sleep apnea, which include:

• Snoring, gasping, or potentially choking
• Excessive daytime fatigue
• Difficulty in maintaining focus
• Lack of energy or drive
• Frequent nighttime bathroom visits
• Constant mood swings or irritability
• Easy forgetfulness
• Waking with a dry throat

These short-term consequences of sleep apnea arise following a restless night of sleep. After a few cups of coffee or brief naps during the day, the individual returns to a typical state. However, when a person goes back to sleep at night, the same consequences reemerge the following day.

Long-term Consequences of Sleep Apnea

Long-term consequences of untreated sleep apnea consist of all the life-threatening health issues already mentioned, including congenital heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Additionally, the long-term consequences of sleep apnea extend beyond that. Some research has indicated that sleep apnea can lead to brain damage and potentially cancer.

Sleep Apnea Raises the Risk of Stroke, Cancer, and Mortality

In a study released by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2014), researchers discovered that sleep apnea is linked to an increased risk of cancer, stroke, and mortality. They assert that cancer incidence was 3 times greater, and stroke incidence was 4 times greater in individuals with moderate sleep apnea compared to those without the condition.

These findings were collected following a 20-year follow-up study of participants who underwent a home sleep test in 1990. They found that the mortality rate was 4 times higher among participants suffering from moderate and severe sleep apnea.

Mild Sleep Apnea Life Expectancy

This investigation suggests that the follow-up study indicates minimal findings in individuals with mild sleep apnea. Individuals diagnosed with mild sleep apnea might experience a longer life expectancy since mild sleep apnea is not linked to an increase in medical conditions.

Moderate Sleep Apnea Life Expectancy

Individuals with moderate sleep apnea may possess a life expectancy comparable to those with severe sleep apnea. Moderate sleep apnea is typically detrimental to patients as they display an average AHI of 15-30 events/hour. This signifies that an individual ceases breathing 15-30 times each hour during sleep.

Individuals with moderate sleep apnea ought to commence treatment for sleep apnea without delay.

Severe Sleep Apnea Life Expectancy

Severe sleep apnea diminishes life expectancy, in extreme instances, by as much as 4 times. Those with severe sleep apnea in the study reported experiencing strokes and even cancer prior to their demise, highlighting how significantly severe sleep apnea can harm a person’s health.

Sleep Apnea Disrupts Brain Function

The research conducted by UCLA School of Nursing, suggests that individuals with sleep apnea experience alterations in the levels of glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). These crucial brain chemicals are vital for managing cognition, emotional states, and specific physiological functions like blood pressure and sweating.

Paul Macey, the primary investigator of the study, noted that glutamate levels rise in individuals with sleep apnea, and elevated glutamate levels are harmful to the brain. Furthermore, GABA, the neurotransmitter responsible for slowing and calming individuals, also diminishes. Instead of increasing, GABA levels fall in patients with sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Lowers Gray Matter Concentration in the Brain

The third study originates from a journal published in SLEEP. It indicates that in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the concentration of gray matter in the brain (cerebral cortex) may be diminished. This area is where cognitive processing occurs in the brain, and if left untreated, sleep apnea may lead to additional damage.

Reduction in gray matter concentration can influence the brain’s capability to regulate the cardiovascular system, manage emotions, and oversee various autonomic functions like breathing, saliva production, and blood pressure.

Life Expectancy with Treated Sleep Apnea

For every patient diagnosed with sleep apnea, treatment is advised to mitigate potential health issues associated with sleep apnea.

A Danish research study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (2018) indicated that the risk of heart failure was 38% greater for individuals over the age of 60 who had untreated sleep apnea during a 13-year study.

Treating sleep apnea provides individuals with the opportunity to extend their lifespan by reducing the risk of early death by 3 times, halving the risk of stroke, and increasing the likelihood of heart attack by five times when compared to those with untreated sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Treatments

Sleep Apnea Treatments PranaQ Sleep Better, Live Better
Now that everyone is aware that sleep apnea is treatable and that treated sleep apnea significantly enhances life expectancy, it is essential to seek treatment!

While sleep apnea is not completely curable at this stage, it can be managed effectively with appropriate treatments and lifestyle changes. Treatments for sleep apnea are quite specific compared to other health conditions, as it cannot rely solely on medication for resolution.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP)
In terms of sleep apnea treatments, CPAP is the primary option that sleep physicians suggest for patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea. The CPAP machine aids in keeping the patient’s airway unobstructed by delivering a continuous stream of positive-pressure air through a mask that covers either the mouth and nose or solely the nose.

With over 8 million CPAP users across the U. S. , CPAP stands as the most prevalent medical treatment for sleep apnea at present. CPAP not only alleviates sleep apnea symptoms but also decreases the risk of heart failure and enhances life expectancy.

BiPAP provides an alternative form of positive airway pressure therapy through the device, and it regulates both inlet and outlet pressure within the airway.

Both CPAP and BiPAP offer various settings for the amount of pressure an individual can tolerate, depending on the severity of their sleep apnea and their health condition. Consequently, CPAP and BiPAP devices should only be utilized following a doctor’s prescription and proper fitting.

Sleep Apnea Mouthpiece

Another medical treatment option for sleep apnea patients is a sleep apnea mouth guard or mouthpiece. The mouthpiece advances the tongue or jaw forward by maintaining it in a fixed position, allowing the airway to remain open during sleep.

This treatment is among the most preferred alternatives for patients whose sleep apnea stems from a small lower jaw or an oversized tongue that collapses into the throat. The mouth guard shifts the lower jaw forward, and some also adjust the tongue position forward to keep the airway open.
Many patients with sleep apnea who find it difficult to tolerate CPAP therapy choose this treatment as an alternative. CPAP or BiPAP frequently induces feelings of claustrophobia and discomfort. Nevertheless, CPAP or BiPAP is still favored over mouthpieces since they have demonstrated greater effectiveness in the treatment of sleep apnea. Mouthpieces for sleep apnea can also affect the alignment of the teeth or bite. Consequently, mouthpieces should be prescribed by sleep doctors, dentists, or orthodontists working together.

Changing Lifestyle

CPAP and mouthpieces are treatments for sleep apnea suitable for patients suffering from moderate to severe cases. However, when a patient is diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, doctors suggest controlling symptoms through lifestyle improvements, which may include establishing exercise routines, quitting smoking, losing weight, and more.

Utilizing CPAP or a mouthpiece along with lifestyle modifications can boost the effectiveness of sleep apnea treatment and further enhance life expectancy!

Sleep apnea surgery

If CPAP, mouthpieces, or even lifestyle adjustments do not alleviate sleep apnea symptoms, surgery becomes the final option for treatment. There are multiple surgical procedures available for sleep apnea: uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction, anterior inferior mandibular osteotomy, maxillomandibular advancement, tongue base reduction, and many others.

However, sleep apnea surgeries must be carefully evaluated due to the many potential risks involved with the procedure, including allergic reactions to anesthesia, excessive bleeding, or infection. In the worst-case scenario, symptoms may not improve and further respiratory complications could arise.

Given the possible complications, doctors consistently advise attempting other treatments for over three months before opting for sleep apnea surgery. Always collaborate with your sleep physician to identify the most appropriate sleep apnea treatment prior to undergoing surgical intervention.

The Life Expectancy of Sleep Apnea Patients

Ultimately, the life expectancy of sleep apnea patients is not immediately and drastically reduced but is influenced by the severity of the sleep apnea, the symptoms present, and whether or not it is treated.

DISCLAIMER-Some patients go to net and directly take treatment from there which can lead to catastrophic consequences-Then- Many people ask then why to read all this text -the reason is that it helps you to understand the pathology better ,you can cooperate with treatment better ,your treating physician is already busy with his patients and he does not have sufficient time to explain you all the things right from ABCD ,so it is always better to have some knowledge of the disease /disorder you are suffering from.