There are certain factors that may make a person more or less likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Many of these factors are beyond a person’s control. Coupled with such things as excess pounds, smoking, drinking and a generally unhealthy lifestyle, it is even more likely that down the road you could become a patient of sleep apnea. Let’s take a look at factors you cannot change in regard to sleep apnea.

Age is one factor. More people thirty years and older experience sleep apnea with the highest occurrences being in men over the age of forty.

Sleep apnea is far more common in men than it is in women. It is believed that on average twelve to twenty million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, ranging from mild to moderate to severe. Breaking this down into gender, approximately twenty-four percent of men in the general population have it while only nine percent of women do. Premenopausal women are less likely to suffer from sleep apnea then menopausal or post menopausal women and for reasons unclear to researchers, the occurrence of the sleep disorder is more evenly matched among the sexes after women are finished with menopause. Many studies have been done looking at the gender gap in relation to sleep apnea. Some studies point to the fact that it is two to three times more widespread in males than in females. However research studies done in sleep clinics across the country have shown results that men are five to six times more likely to experience this health problem.

Genetics plays a role in this disorder, however how large a role is unknown. If there is a family history of sleep apnea, whether it be males or females you are more likely to develop it at some point in your lifetime. There seems to be a genetic predisposition towards sleep apnea while people who have family history are less likely to become afflicted by it.

Race also plays a role according to researchers. Those of African American ethnicity as well as Hispanics and Pacific Islanders are more likely to develop the problem than are Caucasians. However that does not mean that Caucasians never develop it at all but it is in reduced rates in relation to other races. Black people tend to develop sleep apnea earlier in their lives than do Caucasian individuals.

Any medical condition that interferes with the breathing process can contribute to the onset of sleep apnea. In particular deformities to do with the spine such as scoliosis can cause problems and may bring it on.

Health conditions such as Down syndrome or Marfan’s syndrome that contribute to abnormalities of the head and face known as craniofacial problems can greatly increase a person’s chances of developing sleep apnea.

As mentioned earlier, menopause seems to play a role in developing sleep apnea. Women going through menopause are more likely to develop it than are younger women and the occurrence rates in the sexes are more evenly matched after menopause comes to an end.

It is estimated that anywhere from eighteen to twenty-five million individuals suffer from the disorder of sleep apnea however a surprising less than a million of these individuals are aware of it. This is a health concern that affects more men than women, and more middle aged to older men then younger men. Women of menopausal age are more likely to develop it than are younger women and after going through menopause, the incidence of sleep apnea among women becomes approximately equal to that of men. However some studies suggest that sleep apnea is under diagnosed in females. Research has shown that approximately between nine and twenty-four percent of males suffer from apnea or hypopnea and on average, four to fifteen percent of women. However be aware that sleep apnea has been found in people of all age groups, including children.

Sleep apnea is believed to affect anywhere from 1.6 to 3.4 percent of young children. It is hypothesized by experts that “sleep disorder breathing” can be found in eleven percent of children in the general population. One specific study yielded the result that while the incidence of sleep apnea rises with age, the many health problems that accompany it tend to become less severe. For example it was shown that those before the age of forty-five have more serious health consequences than those who are older.

Studies have shown that those who live in rural areas tend to suffer more incidences of sleep apnea than those who live in urban areas. However those who live in cities tend to suffer from insomnia and disturbed sleep more often. This is believed to be related to stress. Of all races in the United States those who are African American tend to have a higher likelihood of developing this sleep disorder as opposed to other ethnic groups.

Being overweight can pose a risk for developing sleep apnea especially for those who have an accumulation of fat in their abdominal areas (these people are often thought to be “apple shaped”). This is as true for adults as it is for children and teenagers. Sometimes even losing ten pounds or less can have a positive effect. It is important to point out that not everyone who experiences “sleep-disordered breathing” is overweight. This is especially the case when it comes to women and children.

There are a few physical characteristics that also seem to predispose an individual to be more likely to develop sleep apnea. For example having a larger neck may play a role. This may also partially explain why men are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea than women. The risk is greatest for men who have a neck circumference of seventeen inches or more and for women who have a neck measurement of sixteen inches or higher.

Other physical characteristics that play a role include having a narrow upper jaw; having an overbite; having a chin that recedes, having a long lower portion of your face; having a large thick tongue and having a long, stiff soft palate.

A breakthrough therapy has emerged from the company Restore Medical that will give sleep apnea patients yet another option for relief from their symptoms. The initial results are promising. This procedure is doing well in comparison with more conventional treatment options such as the surgical laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). Up to now the most popular form of treatment, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), this may begin changing in the near future as patients begin switching to the Pillar Procedure. Although an effective form of treatment, many patients dislike wearing a mask while they sleep. Still others experience noise problems due to the machine, feelings of claustrophobia and the leakage of air.

The Pillar Procedure is gaining in popularity because it is not as invasive as some of the other surgical procedures and it doesn’t take up too much of a patient and doctor’s time (on average it requires one quick visit to the physician’s office). The Pillar Procedure has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its willingness to treat both cases of snoring as well as sleep apnea and it is also clinically proven. In tests done utilizing the Pillar Procedure approximately eighty percent of sufferers noted a positive improvement in their nightly sleep apnea patterns. Many noted that episodes were dramatically decreased.

One reason for sleep apnea is that the “soft palate vibrates during snoring and can block the airway.” When it comes to the Pillar Procedure three tiny inserts are placed into the soft palate to offer a sufficient amount of support. The inserts are not visible to the human eye and they do not cause problems either with speech or with swallowing. These reasons alone make the Pillar Procedure a viable option.

The Pillar Procedure deals with the soft palate and calls for the injection of three tiny woven inserts into the soft palate that are geared at decreasing the vibrations that bring about snoring as well as prevent the soft palate from interfering with, or blocking the flow of air. Structural support is encouraged by way of the inserts and over time they blend into the natural tissue structure for continued support. At the time of the procedure the patient’s soft palate is given a local anesthetic to numb it and then the doctor goes ahead with implanting the inserts by way of a special medical tool. In some cases a mild painkiller will be prescribed to the patient for use if there is discomfort after the anesthetic wears off. This procedure does not even have to be done at the hospital; it can be done right in the doctor’s office.

The material that the Pillar inserts consist of has been used in other implantable medical devices for an excess of fifty years. Most patients report little if any discomfort and there is a short recuperation period. Many people return to their regular eating habits as well as their regular activities very quickly, some as soon as the same day or the day preceding the procedure.

The risks involved with the Pillar Procedure are very minimal. In fact only one percent of those treated with this method ever suffer any adverse effects. As well if so desired, the procedure can be reversed. It is important to be aware that the effectiveness of the procedure depends on a number of factors which include the size of a patient’s tonsils, their tongue position and their body mass.

If you are a person that suffers from sleep apnea, you probably know how cumbersome it can be to use a CPAP machine to aid your breathing while you sleep. While it is a better alternative than the harmful effects of not treating your obstructive sleep apnea, it is hardly a full solution to the problem. Sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea are prone to many negative health effects including a lack of concentration, grogginess, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Nearly 18 million Americans are afflicted with this disorder, with a full 1 out of 20 males and 1 out of 30 females living with the problem. To that end, biologists and doctors have been toiling endlessly to work towards a better type of treatment for the sufferers of this tragic condition. Luckily, there has been a medical breakthrough in the form of a tiny new implant which may be of great merit to those with a sleep apnea condition.

The implant procedure that is creating quite a buzz in the medical community is known as the pillar procedure, and it involves small implants that are placed within the soft palate. The implants and the scar tissue that is created by the surgical procedure helps to provide a level of support to the soft palate so that it is not as easily collapsible. This can cause the airway of those with obstructive sleep apnea to be more open, allowing the patient to breathe more properly throughout the evening. The soft palate of those who have the pillar procedure tends to stay in place, as opposed to falling back which commonly occurs in those with the disorder. Studies show that a full two thirds of all mild obstructive sleep apnea sufferers can benefit from the treatment, and it has been approved by the FDA. The surgery is an outpatient procedure, and it has been performed with a very reasonable success rate by doctors for the past four years. The implant takes roughly thirty minutes to install, and three small implants are placed throughout the palate.

While the long-term benefits of this surgery are not yet realized, it shows much promise in helping those with a mild case of apnea to reduce their problem. The implants in the palate do not pose much of a problem to the patients, as they cannot be felt after being implanted. Also, if the implants prove to be of little success, they can be easily removed via another surgery. While not a complete solution to the problem caused by obstructive sleep apnea, these implants represent a new hope for those who have a mild form of the condition. As with any serious medical procedure, it’s important to get a proper opinion from your trusted health care professional. Also, if you feel unsure whether or not your condition merits the treatment, a second opinion is advised. For those who wish to learn more about the Pillar procedure, you can contact Cynthia Harding, the Public Relations Director of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at cynthia.harding@cshs.org.

A tracheostomy is a conventional form of surgery that is only performed today as a last resort for patients who have found that nothing else helps them and/or if their sleep apnea is serious enough to be deemed life threatening. Although this surgery has a high success rate (some doctors go as far as to say that it is one hundred percent effective) it involves an incision in the throat that is approximately the size of a quarter. And can give rise to any number of other health problems, some medical in nature while others are psychological. A tracheostomy is a very straightforward type of operation. Basically put, “the surgeon makes an opening through the neck into the windpipe and inserts a tube.” The opening, which is a permanent one coupled with the tube allows for the easy flow of air in and out of the windpipe (or trachea) Let’s take a closer look.

The tracheostomy tube allows air to flow in and out of the patient’s lungs and eliminates sleep apnea episodes. During the daytime hours a valve allows the tube to remain shut making it possible for the individual to both breathe and talk as naturally as possible. At night when the individual is sleeping the valve is wide opening allowing for air to flow into the throat but bypass the blockage and then find its way into the lungs.

Not everyone who undergoes a tracheostomy needs the same amount of time to recover. In other words some people require more time than others. When sleep apnea is brought about by the upper airway being blocked, a tracheostomy almost always is a successful operation. However keep in mind that this form of surgery is a kind of treatment that is often undertaken after all else has failed to work.

There are a number of risks associated with having a tracheostomy. First of all scar tissue sometimes forms where the hole is made in the throat and this can make a difference in the appearance of the neck. Sometimes a patient who has a tracheostomy has a chance of developing an infection at the sight of the operation (symptoms include swelling, redness and drainage of fluid) and bleeding is often a complication. Some patients have problems with their speech, some immediately following the surgery but find it improves with healing while others notice a permanent alteration in speech patterns. There is also a greater chance that a variety of lung infections will develop in patients who undergo a tracheostomy. Finally psychological and emotional problems such as depression and a lack of self-esteem can evolve as a result of this surgery.

Some people are very self-conscious about their appearance after having a tracheostomy as it is more obvious in some people than it is in others. People who are overweight or obese often suffer more long-term consequences due to fatty tissue on the neck that can block the hole in the throat. It is important to be impeccable with your hygiene habits after having a tracheostomy as keeping the area of the neck where the tube was inserted clean and free of debris is extremely important.

Two operations that are sometimes undertaken to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) include a tonsillectomy and an adenoidectomy. The former means a removal of the tonsils while the latter is a removal of the adenoids. However these types of surgeries are not used to improve snoring in young children and are rarely used to improve symptoms in adults who snore. They are predominantly operations to treat sleep apnea. Doctors often recommend one or both of these types of surgery if enlarged adenoids and/or tonsils are the cause of the obstructed airway in a patient. This is often the first treatment recommended for children as tonsils or adenoids that are inflamed or enlarged are very often the number one cause of sleep apnea in those of a young age.

Children who have both these surgical procedures done usually notice improvements in their sleep apnea symptoms anytime within a six month period after their operation. Parents notice in their children that the incidence of coughing, colds and snoring decrease tremendously and children start to feel healthier, stronger and more like their old selves again. As well repeated nights of restless sleeps are less common as time goes on, as are bursts of hyperactivity and other behavioral types of problems. These operations have a high rate of success being in the area of seventy-five to one hundred percent. This is true whether the child is of a normal or is slightly overweight.

Both tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies must take place in a hospital and may require a short stay of a few days. Both a child and an adult who undergo these surgeries need to be closely monitored afterwards, as injury to nerves, swelling in the throat and a sense of extreme sleepiness can be a consequence of the surgery and the meds administered during the surgery. Blood oxygen levels also need to be carefully watched the first, second and third nights following the operation(s).

When these forms of surgery are performed on children who are three years or younger or those who suffer from such medical problems as Down syndrome there is more of a risk of health complications such as breathing difficulties. Children who fall into the above category often require continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or oxygen therapy following surgery.

After both these types of surgical procedures a patient will notice that their throat is extremely sensitive and sore (a great deal more sore than it is when a virus has caused a sore throat). Both eating certain types of food and swallowing food can cause discomfort and difficulties the first few days following the surgery. Two main complications of post surgery include bleeding and the risk of infection. A certain amount of bleeding is to be expected but excessive bleeding is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately.

Children who suffer from chronic upper respiratory infections, asthma as well as other respiratory problems as well as heart related conditions need to have these serious problems addressed medically before a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy can be performed. If they are not then the child is at risk for more complications during and following the surgery.

Surgery is usually sought out as a last resort for patients suffering from severe obstructive sleep apnea. Surgery for sleep apnea in adults most often takes into account the tongue, throat, neck and/or the nose. There are times when more than one surgical procedure is combined for optimum results.

The most commonly undertaken surgical procedure for sleep apnea is uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. This is also known in its abbreviated form as UPPP (or “UP3”). In some cases, sleep apnea takes place because of too much tissue in the area of either the soft palate or the uvula (which is the “tissue that hangs from the middle of the back of the roof of the mouth”). In a standard UPPP operation, the airway is made larger by the process of opening the airway at the soft palate. In other cases, a section of the soft palate known as the uvula and tissue from the sides of the mouth is taken out and this may or may not include the tonsils. An oscillating blade is used to perform UPPP surgery. Closely following on the heels of UPPP is laser-assisted uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (or LAUP). This type is exactly like UPPP only it takes place with a laser instead of a blade.

A tonsillectomy and/or an adenoidectomy are undertaken if a patient has either tonsils or adenoids that are infected and/or excessively large and are obstructing the airway while they sleep at night. In this situation either the tonsils or the adenoids or both are surgically removed. This is often an option undertaken for young sleep apnea sufferers. When it comes to adult patients sometimes this operation is performed on its own or else it is done along with a LAUP or UPPP operation.

A tracheostomy is the final surgery that physicians recommend for patients as it can not only be risky health wise but it can give rise to other health problems. However this extreme form of surgery is very successful at ridding a person of sleep apnea. In this case the doctor makes a hole in the patient’s trachea (or windpipe) and then a tracheotomy tube is placed in the hole to allow air to freely flow through, thereby allowing the patient to breathe properly.

Mandibular advancement or mandibular myotomy is a way to reposition a patient’s tongue in order to keep it from causing problems with breathing. When it comes to this type of surgery, “the jawbone is broken, moved forward and fixed temporarily to move the chin and tongue away from the back of the throat.” Generally this guarantees that the tongue is brought anyway from six to ten millimeters forward. Another form of surgical advancement, known as hyoid advancement is when a bone that is found in the neck known as the hyoid bone is moved or “advanced” forward in order to properly open the airway in the neck region.

In some people their tongue is so large that it obstructs breathing and encourages sleep apnea to occur. There is a surgical procedure known as a radiofrequency ablation of the tongue that can improve this situation. A radiofrequency probe is applied to the back of the throat area over the course of five treatments. The heat from the probe works to shrink the overall volume of the tongue thus making air obstruction less likely.

Central sleep apnea is a problem that is relatively uncommon. While obstructive sleep apnea occurs often, central sleep apnea is rarely diagnosed. Obstructive sleep apnea can be very damaging to the body, causing an obstruction of the airway that forces a person to wake up repeatedly throughout the night and leading to a host of problems. Central sleep apnea is a problem that is not as commonly addressed. It’s a rare condition in which the brain is unable to properly signal the body to let it know when to breathe while sleeping. Many people who are affected by central sleep apnea also have a minor case of obstructive sleep apnea. Clinically, central sleep apnea is diagnosed when 10 or more apneas occur during an hour due to central causes and less than 5 apneas occur in the hour with an obstructive cause.

Central sleep apnea is a problem that cannot be as easily solved as obstructive sleep apnea. While obstructive sleep apnea sufferers may simply change the position in which they sleep or get a continuous positive airway pressure (or CPAP for short) machine to curb their problem, there are not many options available for those with central sleep apnea. Luckily, doctors have been researching possible medications to help treat the program, and they may have experienced a breakthrough. Ambien is a sedative drug that can prove to be of definite merit to those suffering from central sleep apnea. While there are many more studies to be done, the results of a study conducted by Syed Quadri, M.D. of Henry Ford hospital regarding the drug are quite promising. After giving central sleep apnea sufferers Ambien for 6 weeks, apnea episodes were shown to be significantly decreased. The drug was administered 30 minutes before bedtime at a dose of 10 milligrams. A polysomnographic exam was conducted at the beginning of the trial and at the end of the trial. 20 patients completed the study, and the results were astounding. The average occurrence of any apnea events, whether obstructive or central, fell from 30 per hour to 13 per hour, representing a statistically significant change. Central apneas fell from an average of 26 episodes per hour to merely 7!

While the study represents a marked improvement in our understanding of central sleep apnea, there is still much to be learned. If the drug truly ends up being of merit to apnea sufferers, it represents a hypnotic, sleep-inducing drug that the patient will need to be dependant on. The safety of Ambien on a long-term dosage has not been accurately determined yet, so it’s important not to jump the gun on this study. More studies are being conducted to note the effects of Ambien long term, as well as studies constructed to help understand what hypnotic drugs do in those with apnea. So, while Ambien may not be a cure for central sleep apnea, it definitely represents a milestone in the fight for understanding this mysterious disease. Hopefully, our knowledge will only continue to grow.

Sleep apnea is a disorder that affects breathing during sleep. Apnea comes from a Greek word that stands for “want of breath.” Sleep apnea is a chronic health problem and is also a progressive condition which means it can potentially worsen over time. These cessations of breathing can last anywhere from a minimum of ten to thirty seconds and upwards to as much as four hundred per night in those with severe sleep apnea. Some individual are so plagued by the condition that they are awakened every thirty seconds a nigh with another apnea episode. Sleep apnea is still greatly misunderstood by the medical community although research is ongoing. There are a great many individuals who are unaware that they even suffer from sleep apnea. Sometimes it takes a spouse, family member or close friend to bring the problem to the individual’s attention. Sleep apnea is a serious health problem that can be life threatening if left undiagnosed and untreated.

It is estimated that anywhere from twelve to twenty million American citizens suffer from sleep apnea in varying degrees. There are three kinds of sleep apnea- obstructive, central and mixed, of which obstructive sleep apnea is the most widespread by far. Obstructive sleep apnea can be mild, moderate or severe. It can easily go from mild to moderate or moderate to severe. Sleep apnea is not “age-specific” and affects individuals of every age, including children. Both men and women develop sleep apnea although it is more common in men then women, especially middle-aged men who are overweight. Part of this is believed to be due to the fact that men have a thicker neck circumference than women.

Breaking sleep apnea down even further by gender approximately twenty-four percent of men suffer from the sleep disorder while the percentage for women is nine percent. Women who have not entered menopause yet are less likely to suffer from sleep apnea than are women who are presently experiencing menopause or women who have already gone through it. However after menopause women are approximately as likely as men to develop sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common of all sleep disorders. It is estimated that half of the patients who suffer from sleep apnea also suffer from loud, habitual snoring and are overweight. According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, approximately 38,000 deaths occur on an annual basis that relate to cardiovascular problems that in one way or another are connected to sleep apnea. These problems include high blood pressure, hypertension and stroke, among others. An estimated six million American residents suffer from sleep apnea that is moderate to severe and may necessitate a late night visit to the e=emergency room. Unfortunately a great many people do not, as previously mentioned, even realize that they suffer from sleep apnea. This number is somewhere around 500,000 individuals.

Of the men and women that suffer from sleep apnea, approximately four percent of men and two percent of women meet what is deemed as the “diagnostic criteria” for the sleep disorder, which averages an estimated ten bouts of apnea (or apneic events or episodes) in the course of an hour while they sleep.

Sleep apnea is not a disorder to be taken lightly nor is it something that will go away on its own with time. In fact sleep apnea is classified as being a “progressive disease” which means that just like cancer, diabetes and heart disease it gets worse with time. There is a lot of debate in the medical community about the effect that sleep apnea has on other medical problems. There is a definite connection between sleep apnea and these physical conditions- high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure, heart attack, kidney failure, pulmonary hypertension and stroke.

More and more research is looking into why the above conditions are related to problems erupting in the upper airways of a person suffering from sleep apnea. It is well known that being overweight, smoking and abusing alcohol plays a role in sleep apnea and in turn leads to a greater chance of developing heart disease and hypertension. However it is not clear while some people who do not have any of these problems regarding their lifestyle still develop sleep apnea.

When there is a cessation of breathing during a sleep apnea episode the bloodstream shows higher levels of carbon dioxide while oxygen levels decrease. As a result of this, a series of chemical and physical events takes place in the body that then increases the risk of other problems arising in the body.

In individuals who suffer from sleep apnea and who are overweight, experts have discovered that they have high levels of immune factors known as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). High levels of both of these factors can cause serious inflammation in the body which can lead to cell damage, especially in the arteries. In one particular study it was shown that people with elevated levels of TNF-alpha suffered from shortness of breath, excessive tiredness and a “weak heart-pumping action.” However it must be said that to date no “clear causal relationship” between obstructive sleep apnea and heart disease has been scientifically established.

Many studies have been conducted to look at high blood pressure and sleep apnea. A link has been found between the two. To give an example, a study done in 2000 examined patients over a four year period and showed that the more apnea episodes they experienced in the first year, the greater risk was posed for them to develop hypertension by the third or fourth year. Even in those who snored or experienced mild sleep apnea there was a “weak but still higher than normal association with high blood pressure.”

In the past the connection between sleep apnea and hypertension was believed to be strongly linked to obesity. However recent studies are pointing to other findings, which is that hypertension is particularly high in individuals who suffer from sleep apnea no matter what their weight is.

Blood pressure affects sleep apnea because it fluctuates tremendously during repeated sleep apnea episodes. These fluctuations are also related to changes in the form of sudden surges that take place in the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system “controls involuntary muscles, importantly those in the blood vessels and heart.” It is strongly believed that as time passes, these fluctuations could play a significant role in the development of permanent long-term hypertension.