Diabetes
Linked to Sleep Apnea Problems
Persons with type 2 diabetes who drag themselves through
the day may be among the 36 percent of diabetics suffering from obstructive
sleep apnea, according to a study in the medical journal Endocrine
Practice.
Sleep apnea occurs when impaired breathing due to collapsed
airways triggers multiple nighttime awakenings.
According to the American Diabetes
Association (ADA), diabetes is a disease in which the body does not
produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert
sugar, starches, and other food into energy needed for daily life.
The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although
both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise
appear to play roles.
There are 20.8 million children and adults in the US, or
7 percent of the population, who have diabetes.
While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with
diabetes, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have
the disease, states the ADA.
Researchers at the Whittier Institute for Diabetes analyzed
health data from 279 adults with type 2 diabetes.
They found that one out of three diabetics also suffered
from obstructive sleep apnea.
Men, particularly those over the age of 62, were more than
twice as likely as women to experience interrupted sleep.
The National Sleep Foundation estimates
that more than 18 million people suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, although
the majority of people have not been diagnosed with the disorder.
Obstructive sleep apnea is related to a multitude of health
risks, including heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, sexual dysfunction,
and an increased risk of car accidents.
Previous research has indicated a relationship between obstructive
sleep apnea, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance, so the connection
with type 2 diabetes is not surprising.
This is the first study to analyze data from both men and
women at a diabetes clinic, the researchers say.
"These findings demonstrate that obstructive sleep apnea
has a high prevalence in adults with type 2 diabetes," says principal investigator
Dr. Daniel Einhorn.
"Given that treatment of obstructive sleep apnea has the
potential to both decrease blood pressure and improve glycemic [blood sugar]
control, individuals with type 2 diabetes should be regularly screened for
the presence of sleep apnea," he says.
According to previous research, treating
people who have both obstructive sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes with "continuous positive
airway pressure [C-PAP]" therapy not only helps manage the sleep interruptions
but also reduces blood sugar levels.
According to the American Academy
of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, nasal continuous positive
airway pressure therapy delivers air into the airway through a specially
designed nasal mask or pillows.
The mask does not breathe for a person. The flow of air
creates enough pressure during inhalation to keep the airway open. This therapy
is considered the most effective non-surgical treatment for treating snoring
and obstructive sleep apnea.
If it is determined that this treatment is
right for an individual, he or she will be required to wear the
nasal mask every night, says the Academy.
C-PAP treatment may require a significant change in lifestyle.
That change could consist of losing weight, quitting smoking, or adopting a
new exercise regimen.
Always consult your physician for more information.
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Diabetes
Linked to Sleep Apnea Problems
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Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening
condition that is far more common than generally understood.
Sleep apnea occurs in all age groups and both genders.
It is more common in men, although it may be under-diagnosed in women and
young African-Americans.
It is estimated that as many as 12 million Americans have
sleep apnea.
Early recognition and treatment of sleep apnea is important,
as it may be associated with irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart
attack, and stroke.
Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder characterized by brief
interruptions of breathing during sleep.
There are two types of sleep apnea:
central - occurs when the
brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the muscles to initiate breathing.
Central sleep apnea is less common than obstructive sleep apnea.
obstructive - occurs when
air cannot flow into or out of the person's nose or mouth although efforts
to breathe continue.
Sleep apnea seems to run in some families, suggesting
a possible genetic basis.
People most likely to have or develop sleep apnea include
those who snore loudly, are overweight, have high blood pressure, or have
some physical abnormality in the nose, throat, or other parts of the upper
airway.
Use of alcohol and sleeping pills increases the frequency
and duration of breathing pauses in people with sleep apnea.
Sleep
apnea is characterized by a number of involuntary breathing pauses or "apneic events" during
a single night's sleep - there may be as many as 20 to 30 or more events
per hour.
These events are almost always accompanied by snoring
between apnea episodes (although not everyone who snores has sleep apnea).
Sleep apnea may also be characterized by choking sensations.
The frequent interruptions of deep, restorative sleep often lead to early
morning headaches and excessive daytime sleepiness.
During the apneic event, the person is unable to breathe
in oxygen and to exhale carbon dioxide, resulting in low levels of oxygen
and increased levels of carbon dioxide in the blood.
The reduction in oxygen and increase in carbon dioxide
alert the brain to resume breathing and cause an arousal.
With each arousal, a signal is sent from the brain to
the upper airway muscles to open the airway; breathing is resumed, often
with a loud snort or gasp.
Frequent arousals, although necessary for breathing to
restart, prevent a person from getting enough restorative, deep sleep.
Always consult your physician for more information.
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