Sleep apnea syndrome can cause sudden death in severe cases!

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep-disordered breathing disorder with a complex etiology. Recurrent episodes of nocturnal hypoxia and hypercapnia caused by apnea can lead to complications such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cerebrovascular disease, and can even cause arrhythmia and sudden death at night.

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Therefore, this disease is a potentially fatal sleep breathing disorder. Its pathogenic factors mainly include: obesity, age, family history, long-term smoking, and upper airway anatomical abnormalities, such as nasal obstruction, tonsil hypertrophy above grade II, pharyngeal tumors, tongue hypertrophy, etc. In addition, related diseases such as hypothyroidism, acromegaly, heart failure, stroke, gastroesophageal reflux and neuromuscular diseases can also lead to obstructive sleep apnea.

There are so many people who snore, do they all get this disease? No, if the snorer's snoring is even and rhythmic, and the breathing is very stable, this is generally called physiological snoring, which is "benign snoring" and can be improved by adjusting sleeping habits and correcting body position. If there are typical symptoms such as continuous loud snoring at night, frequent awakening, increased nocturia, sweating, morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, irritable and easily excited personality, restless sleep, hyperactivity, etc., you need to be alert to the possibility of illness.

Snoring is one of the most obvious symptoms . Although snoring can be a natural phenomenon, if the snoring is discontinuous, with pauses of more than 10 seconds and breath holding in the middle, it may be caused by OSAHS, which is usually discovered by family members.

For people who live alone, if you find that you get enough sleep but still feel tired and sleepy the next day, you can consider recording your snoring.

If you suspect you have OSAHS, it is recommended that you go to the sleep department or otolaryngology department of the hospital for treatment. Polysomnography (PSG) is the most important method for diagnosing OSAHS. In addition, it can also determine the severity of the patient and comprehensively evaluate their sleep structure, providing a basis for further treatment.

The dangers of apnea

0 1. Cause myocardial infarction

Severe snoring can cause early damage to heart function, and snoring is the culprit for myocardial infarction in many people.

0 2. Increased risk of stroke

During sleep, once sleep apnea occurs, the body will be deprived of oxygen, which will not only cause arrhythmias and cardiovascular damage leading to vascular sclerosis, but also increase the risk of stroke.

0 3. Increased blood pressure

Sleep apnea is an independent risk factor for hypertension. When apnea occurs, the heart rate increases, blood vessels constrict, and systolic blood pressure can instantly reach 280-300 mmHg (normally no more than 140 mmHg).

0 4. Accelerate Alzheimer's disease

When breathing stops, there is no exchange of gases with the outside world, and blood oxygen will drop significantly, which will in turn affect the oxygen supply to brain cells. After a long period of hypoxia, the brain will atrophy, which will eventually affect brain function.

0 5. Affect sexual function

Snoring is also related to male sexual function, which often manifests as impotence, decreased libido, and even sexual dysfunction.

0 6. Affect fetal development

Snoring during pregnancy will not only affect the sleep of expectant mothers, but may also affect the development of the fetus over time.

Snoring can sometimes seriously affect the sleep of pregnant mothers. If sleep apnea occurs, it can also cause high blood pressure in pregnant women, increasing the risk of gestational hypertension. It can also cause a decrease in the placental vasoconstriction function and affect the blood oxygen supply to the fetus in the uterus, resulting in an increased incidence of adverse pregnancies such as restricted fetal growth and development, abnormal fetal heart rate, fetal respiratory distress or neonatal asphyxia.

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5 tips to effectively reduce snoring

Whether it is mild snoring or snoring that is so severe that it affects your life, you can relieve it with these 5 super simple methods!

1. Sleeping on your side: When you sleep on your side, your tongue will fall to the side and will not block the airway.

2. Lose weight: By losing weight, you can make your neck thinner and reduce fat accumulation in the throat, which can reduce snoring.

3. Quit smoking and drinking, and stop taking sedatives and hypnotics as directed by your doctor, as well as other drugs that may cause or aggravate sleep apnea syndrome.

4. Raise the head of the bed appropriately.

5. Avoid fatigue during the day.

Sisters who have mild snoring can alleviate snoring to a great extent by using these 5 methods, thereby improving sleep quality and reducing disturbance to roommates and partners.

For those who snore to the point where it seriously affects their lives, they should not only persist in using these methods, but also see a doctor!

Source: Chongqing Tianji Network Co., Ltd.

This article is compiled from Tencent Medical Dictionary, GRT, Family Doctor Online, and DaChu.com

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