sleep disorder called sleep apnea is creeping into the lives of many Mumbaikars, threatening their lives. Wake up and take heed before it consumes you, says Priyanka Pereira
Priyanka Pereira
Sleepless in Mumbai is one tag that Mumbaikars have taken rather seriously. The number of people suffering from sleep-related disorders is increasing by the minute. "According to our study, the prevalence of sleep-disorders was 9.5 per cent and that of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was 7.5 per cent in healthy urban Indian males between 35 to 65 years of age," says Dr Zarir F Udwadia, consultant physician at P D Hinduja Hospital.
Sleep Apnea? What is that?
Sleep apnea is a common disorder where your breathing stops or gets very shallow while you are sleeping. Each pause in breathing typically lasts 10 to 20 seconds or more.
The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. During sleep, enough air cannot flow into your lungs through your mouth and nose, even when you try to breathe. This results in the oxygen-level in your blood dropping. Dr Zarir F Udwadia explains the causes, symptoms and treatment for this condition.
What causes sleep apnea?
• Obesity is considered to be a major cause
• Structure of your face and neck
• Genetic characteristics.
Symptoms
• Nocturnal choking which sometimes happens upto 500 times during the night, which reduces the flow of oxygen to the brain
• Excessively loud snoring - the kind that can disturb others' sleep
• Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)
• Recurrent awakening from sleep
• Overwhelming urge to sleep while doing activities like driving or climbing
• Irritability due to lack of sleep.
Research & Statistics
Dr Zarir F Udwadia, Amita V Doshi, Sharmila A G Lonkar and Chandrajeet L Singh of Hinduja Hospital conducted a study on middle-aged urban Indian men regarding the prevalence of disordered breathing and sleep apnea. They found the following results:
• About 60 per cent of Indians who are suffering from sleep apnea are not obese
• About 46 per cent of the subjects with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) had a BMI (body mass index) of less than 30 and 27 per cent of subjects with SDB had a BMI of less than 27
• A person with a collar size of more than 17 inches is at 5.34 times more at a risk of developing sleep apnea
• SDB is independently associated with glucose intolerance and insulin resistance
• Prevalence of SDB was 19.5 per cent and that of OSAHS was 75 per cent in healthy urban Indian males between 35 to 65 years of age.
Diagnosis and treatment
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is diagnosed by monitoring a patient's sleep pattern using detailed monitoring equipment (polysomnography). The specific treatment for this disease is weight-reduction, coupled with the use of the nasal mask - CPAP. There is no drug available to cure this disorder. Treatment is aimed at restoring regular night-time breathing and relieving symptoms such as very loud snoring and daytime sleepiness. Treating sleep apnea may help you stop snoring. Stopping snoring does not mean your apnea is cured and you can stop using CPAP. Sleep apnea will return if CPAP is stopped or if it is used incorrectly. Hence, it is recommended that one uses it throughout their lifetime.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is the most common treatment for sleep apnea. You can purchase this device from any of the local dealers. Its price ranges anywhere between Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 75,000 depending on the matter. For this treatment -
• You wear a mask over your nose during sleep
• The mask blows air into your throat at a pressure level that is right for you
• The increased airway pressure keeps the throat open while you sleep
• The air pressure is adjusted so that it is just enough to stop the airways from briefly getting small during sleep.
Surgery
Surgery can also be conducted. But it tends to be complicated as it happens at the back of the throat. It is only resorted to in extreme cases.
A Case study
Naresh Sharma (name changed) noticed the first symptoms of sleep apnea almost three years ago when he was out on a project in Lucknow along with his father and uncle. They were working on a joint venture and the otherwise enthusiastic Naresh seemed quite disinterested. Naresh’s health had started deteriorating because of his disturbed sleep patterns. He couldn't sleep well through the night and had problems breathing. He used to snore a lot and choked quite often while asleep. He felt tired and fatigued. He couldn't drive for a long time, because he felt drowsy. His father and uncle too noticed this and advised him to take medical help. He tried different positions while sleeping. After contacting Dr Zarir Udwadia at Hinduja hospital, he was monitored with the sleep study machine. When the results were out, his condition was found to be severe - worsened by his overweight body structure. He was given the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine after which he showed drastic improvement. He leads a normal life today but continues to use the device every night.
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmp...9&contentid=2007081720070817054100968e0d68d97
Priyanka Pereira
Sleepless in Mumbai is one tag that Mumbaikars have taken rather seriously. The number of people suffering from sleep-related disorders is increasing by the minute. "According to our study, the prevalence of sleep-disorders was 9.5 per cent and that of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was 7.5 per cent in healthy urban Indian males between 35 to 65 years of age," says Dr Zarir F Udwadia, consultant physician at P D Hinduja Hospital.
Sleep Apnea? What is that?
Sleep apnea is a common disorder where your breathing stops or gets very shallow while you are sleeping. Each pause in breathing typically lasts 10 to 20 seconds or more.
The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. During sleep, enough air cannot flow into your lungs through your mouth and nose, even when you try to breathe. This results in the oxygen-level in your blood dropping. Dr Zarir F Udwadia explains the causes, symptoms and treatment for this condition.
What causes sleep apnea?
• Obesity is considered to be a major cause
• Structure of your face and neck
• Genetic characteristics.
• Nocturnal choking which sometimes happens upto 500 times during the night, which reduces the flow of oxygen to the brain
• Excessively loud snoring - the kind that can disturb others' sleep
• Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)
• Recurrent awakening from sleep
• Overwhelming urge to sleep while doing activities like driving or climbing
• Irritability due to lack of sleep.
Dr Zarir F Udwadia, Amita V Doshi, Sharmila A G Lonkar and Chandrajeet L Singh of Hinduja Hospital conducted a study on middle-aged urban Indian men regarding the prevalence of disordered breathing and sleep apnea. They found the following results:
• About 60 per cent of Indians who are suffering from sleep apnea are not obese
• About 46 per cent of the subjects with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) had a BMI (body mass index) of less than 30 and 27 per cent of subjects with SDB had a BMI of less than 27
• A person with a collar size of more than 17 inches is at 5.34 times more at a risk of developing sleep apnea
• SDB is independently associated with glucose intolerance and insulin resistance
• Prevalence of SDB was 19.5 per cent and that of OSAHS was 75 per cent in healthy urban Indian males between 35 to 65 years of age.
Diagnosis and treatment
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is diagnosed by monitoring a patient's sleep pattern using detailed monitoring equipment (polysomnography). The specific treatment for this disease is weight-reduction, coupled with the use of the nasal mask - CPAP. There is no drug available to cure this disorder. Treatment is aimed at restoring regular night-time breathing and relieving symptoms such as very loud snoring and daytime sleepiness. Treating sleep apnea may help you stop snoring. Stopping snoring does not mean your apnea is cured and you can stop using CPAP. Sleep apnea will return if CPAP is stopped or if it is used incorrectly. Hence, it is recommended that one uses it throughout their lifetime.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is the most common treatment for sleep apnea. You can purchase this device from any of the local dealers. Its price ranges anywhere between Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 75,000 depending on the matter. For this treatment -
• You wear a mask over your nose during sleep
• The mask blows air into your throat at a pressure level that is right for you
• The increased airway pressure keeps the throat open while you sleep
• The air pressure is adjusted so that it is just enough to stop the airways from briefly getting small during sleep.
Surgery
Surgery can also be conducted. But it tends to be complicated as it happens at the back of the throat. It is only resorted to in extreme cases.
Naresh Sharma (name changed) noticed the first symptoms of sleep apnea almost three years ago when he was out on a project in Lucknow along with his father and uncle. They were working on a joint venture and the otherwise enthusiastic Naresh seemed quite disinterested. Naresh’s health had started deteriorating because of his disturbed sleep patterns. He couldn't sleep well through the night and had problems breathing. He used to snore a lot and choked quite often while asleep. He felt tired and fatigued. He couldn't drive for a long time, because he felt drowsy. His father and uncle too noticed this and advised him to take medical help. He tried different positions while sleeping. After contacting Dr Zarir Udwadia at Hinduja hospital, he was monitored with the sleep study machine. When the results were out, his condition was found to be severe - worsened by his overweight body structure. He was given the CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine after which he showed drastic improvement. He leads a normal life today but continues to use the device every night.
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmp...9&contentid=2007081720070817054100968e0d68d97
