WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA AND IS IT SERIOUS? WHAT HARVARD HEALTH PUBLISHING AND MORE EXPERTS THINK.
Answered by Dr. Howard E. LeWine
M.D. Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing · 40 years of experience · USA
Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes people to stop breathing for short periods during sleep. These periods are called apneas. Apneas usually last between 10 and 30 seconds. In severe cases, apneas can happen many hundreds of times each night. Apneas disrupt a person's ability to get a good night's sleep, making them less alert during the day. This can lead to accidents. People with untreated sleep apnea are up to seven times more likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents. People with untreated sleep apnea are more likely to develop high blood pressure and heart disease.
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Answered by Dr. Soumya Ray
MBBS, MS · 5 years of experience · India
Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep. The commonest form is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Throat muscles relax and narrow the airway. Thus a state of hypoxia and hypercapnia is created. Patients present with excessive snoring, daytime sleepiness morning headache, difficulty in concentration. Timely treatment is a must as it can indicate serious diseases such as morbid obesity, metabolic syndrome even normal-tension glaucoma. Patients need treatment such as weight reduction, blood pressure control, or even continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
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Answered by Dr. Rajesh Mishra
MBBS · 0.3 years of experience · India
Overview. Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops. And starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night's sleep, you might have sleep apnea.
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Answered by Dr. Marcelle Freire
Doctor of Medicine · 3 years of experience · Brazil
Obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome is a sleep disorder characterized by periods of stopping breathing for brief periods during sleep, which occur on a recurrent basis. Patients with sleep apnea usually have significant impairment in their quality of life, as they experience tiredness and drowsiness during the day, which may reduce their cognitive and work performance. In addition to the evident impacts on daily life, such as reduced productivity and increased risk of accidents, people with sleep apnea are also at increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as uncontrolled blood pressure levels and a higher risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.
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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.
