Does sleep apnea have long term effects?

Sleep apnea, cardiovascular risk and metabolism Several studies have demonstrated an association between sleep apnea and problems such as type 2 diabetes, strokes, heart attacks and even reduced life expectancy, says Jun. Repeated awakenings associated with sleep apnea make typical, restful sleep impossible, which in turn increases the likelihood of severe daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and irritability. Fibromyalgia is a widespread pain condition that affects approximately 2-6% of people worldwide. This incidence may not seem like much, but like sleep apnea, fibromyalgia isn't sufficiently diagnosed and treated as a chronic pain condition.

Until now, many of the conditions share common risk factors with sleep apnoea, and this one is no different. People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes have weight gain, obesity, abnormal breathing patterns, and significant metabolic changes as risk factors. This puts them at greater risk of suffering from severe obstructive sleep apnea, which can contribute to worsening their diabetic symptoms. Effect of continuous positive airway pressure on blood pressure and metabolic profile in women with sleep apnea.

The symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apnea overlap, which sometimes makes it difficult to determine what type of apnea you have. You might have trouble concentrating and you might fall asleep at work, while watching TV, or even when you're driving. High blood pressure in patients with OSA should be treated according to current guidelines, regardless of the specific treatment being applied for sleep apnea. This causes excessive daytime sleepiness, problems with vigilance, decreased ability to properly perform daily tasks and, ultimately, accidents.

However, the studies reviewed mostly included patients who did not sleep, were of short duration (12 to 24 weeks) and, in most of them, the daily use of CPAP was less than 4 hours. These events caused intermittent hypoxemia, increased sympathetic tone, cytokine production, metabolic abnormalities and an abnormal sleep structure. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent disease worldwide that is associated with systemic consequences, such as excessive sleepiness, impaired neurocognitive function and daytime performance, including the ability to drive. Reversal of obstructive sleep apnea by applying continuous positive pressure to the airway through the nostrils.

Long-term randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed at evaluating the effect of treatment on morbidity and mortality in OSA are difficult to carry out because of the insurmountable ethical problems involved in stopping treating patients with significant daytime symptoms.