Sleep Apnea Info
Can we die during sleep, if we have sleep APNEA? I mean, in severe cases. Thanks. Can anyone give me tips of how to avoid it? I know some, but I would often know if there is a cure for it. After talking to others on the web, I found the answer. CAN WE DIE SLEEP
Yes, if you have a severe enough case of OSA, you can die from it. Chances are, you will have several warning signs before this happens.
The fact of the matter is this: if you have OSA, you are already waking up many, many times a night because your body is telling you that it needs some air. You just don't realize that it is happening. However, when you wake up the next day, you are not rested, you fall asleep when you are not intending to, it is all very frustrating.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea happens when the airway closes and an obstruction and the person can no longer take a breath in. They will make the effort to breathe yet they won’t be able to get any air in. The heart rate slows, the oxygen level in the body drops and the body fights to breathe. It is something like drowning or suffocation. Because the oxygen level in the body drops, there are serious consequences to not dealing with ones Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The following are things that can possible happen with someone whoever ignores their OSA:
1. Never Rested, irritable, stress increases
2. Right sided heart failure (cor pulmonale)
3. Pulmonary Hypertension
4. Death
When you go and view your Pulmonologist, he/she will recommend a sleep study. At the sleep study, they will hook you up to all kinds of different devices to view how you are sleeping. If indeed you do have OSA, the most typical form of treatment is CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure).
This device will help keep the airways open.
If you have ever watched anyone sleep whoever has obstructive sleep apnea, it might seem strange for a while, then, it gets familiar, and then it turns into, “well, that is just how he sleeps. ” It is dangerous not to get Obstructive Sleep Apnea treated. A lot of people refuse to wear CPAP because, “it looks funny”, “it feels uncomfortable”, “it blows in my eyes”. Whatever the reason, it is better to go ahead and wear the CPAP then to make excuses not to wear it.
There is surgery to remove the excess tissue of the throat. I have only seen this done twice. Once was a friend of mine. She said her throat was sore for months. It is a more drastic, invasive measure, but it is also used to correct this problem.
I say which ever way you use to help you keep breathing at night is good. Just don't ignore the problem. It won’t go away and will eventually lead to you being hooked up to more invasive devices than the CPAP machine.
Breathe each and every Breath!
i had sleep apnea at one time,but I lost a lot of weight and got off of my machine. however there are people that aren't overweight that have it,and you need to be diagnosed by a doctor after and with a sleep study. that's the only way. and yes you can die from it. you can avoid it by doing just what I said to do,that's the only way.
My husband had severe sleep apnea, but I don't recall his doctor ever stating concern that he would die in his sleep. . . . However, this condition causes you to literally stop breathing for periods of time, causing a lack of oxygen to the brain. Not a good thing! Over time, it causes other related problems, not the least of which is your constant falling asleep throughout your day! Very concerning when driving or such.
There are a few treatments that can help and you should consult a doctor. I have heard of people using an oxygen machine while sleeping which ensure the needed oxygen to the brain. If more severe, surgery could be called for. My husband had the surgery – it was NOT a pleasant one to recover from as they actually shave away a part of your soft pallet to open the airway better. But it has helped him significantly – and now we BOTH sleep much better!
The other typical contributor to this condition is weight. If you are carrying more weight, you should try to do something there as well.
I suggest you yahoo search for an answer. there is a lot of info out there so you will improve your research skills reading to find out exactly what you want to know.
Sleep apnea itself usually won't kill you but what happens when people die that have this is the lack of oxygen during the apneic periods causes a strain on the heart and people with severe, obstructive sleep apnea are prone to heart attacks which can kill you. Several people who die of heart attacks at night or early morning have severe sleep apnea.
Ways to avoid sleep apnea is to keep your weight in a normal range and maintain a healthy lifestyle to avoid cardiovascular disease.
If you have sleep apnea, there are surgeries and there are C-PAP machines which keep the airway open to reduce your risks and increase the quality of your sleep. It often stops the snoring and eases the fatigue many people with sleep apnea have to cope with.