PROFESSIONAL FAQS: WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF SLEEP APNEA GOES UNTREATED?

Expert opinion from Harinath Gundamaraju

MBBS, MD, ANAESTHESIA · 20 years of experience · India

People who have sleep apnea have periods of sleep that are interrupted by pauses in breathing. There is a definite link between sleep apnea and extra body fat, and if they lose weight, their sleep apnea improves. In addition, people with moderate to severe obesity develop a very rare form of sleep apnea called the obesity hypoventilation syndrome, in which breathing is poor while awake as a result of which a state of low oxygen and high carbon dioxide exists. Sleep apnea if untreated is dangerous because it leads to high blood pressure, heart attacks, abnormal heart rhythms all leading to heart failure and decreased life expectancy. In addition sleep apnea if untreated, can lead to decreased focus and concentration and reduced organizational skills, higher incidences of motor vehicle accidents.

Learn more about sleep apnea: See the causes, symptoms, treatment options and more.

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Expert opinion from Ilya Aleksandrovskiy

M.D., MBA · 5 years of experience · USA

Sleep apnea, if untreated, can raise the risk of health concerns such as 1. High blood pressure. 2. Stroke. 3. Heart failure, irregular heartbeats, and heart attacks are all symptoms of heart disease. 4. Diabetes. 5. Depression 6. ADHD Is Getting Worse 7. Headaches Furthermore, untreated sleep apnea may be the cause of poor performance in everyday activities such as work and school, car accidents, and academic underachievement in children and adolescents.

Expert opinion from Matheus R Cerqueira

Specialist in Family and Community Medicine · 7 years of experience · Brazil

Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by periods of interruption in breathing during sleep. According to the number of apnea episodes per hour of sleep, it can be classified as a) mild, asymptomatic and without complications; b) moderate, with slowing down of the rhythm of daily activities and increased risk of accidents; c) severe, with daytime sleepiness, increased cardiovascular risk and risk of mortality.

Learn more about sleep apnea: See the causes, symptoms, treatment options and more.

See more questions and expert answers related to sleep apnea.

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Disclaimer: This is for information purpose only, and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors, and not to be considered as opinion of Microsoft. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns.

2024-05-07T20:14:02Z dg43tfdfdgfd