Snoring more than Embarassing
Sleep Apnea a Danger to your Health
The soft regular whoosh of air flowing from the machine on her bedside table is a comforting sound for Diane Millar.
“I was diagnosed with sleep apnea 10 years ago,” says the retired nurse.
Her bedtime ritual includes pulling a mask over her nose and mouth which attaches via a flexible hose to a machine delivering a steady stream of pressurized air to her through the mask. It’s called a Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) machine
Sleep Apnea is a disorder that causes Millar’s breathing to stop repeatedly while she sleeps, often for anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds.
“We use a severity index,” says Dr. Helen Driver a sleep disorder specialist at Kingston General Hospital. “Less than five apneas (breathing pauses) per hour is considered normal, between five and 15 apneas per hour is moderate, while 15 to 30 per hour is moderately severe, anything more than 30 is severe.”
In Canada it’s estimated that four percent of middle aged men, and two percent of women suffer from the condition, although the incidence is probably higher according to Driver.
Millar has obstructive sleep apnea, which means that her upper airways get blocked while she sleeps. It’s the most common form of sleep apnea.
“I didn’t know that I had sleep apnea when I went to my doctor,” recalls Millar. “I had a conference to go to, and was embarrassed by my snoring, knowing that I would have to share a room with one of my colleagues.”
That’s generally the most common complaint among sufferers and their partners, but most don’t get diagnosed.
Millar’s GP asked her a number of questions before packing her off to a sleep clinic where his suspicions were confirmed. The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are heavy snoring, daytime sleepiness (most often cited by men) or fatigue and depression (cited by women), irritability, lack of concentration and poor memory.
“There are three treatments available depending on the type of sleep apnea,” explains Driver. “One is avoiding supine sleep (lying on your back); another involves an oral appliance fitted by a dentist but can not be used with dentures, and the third and most common is the CPAP machine.”
Millar tried the first two options first, because the idea of wearing a mask while she slept seemed distasteful. But the first two options didn’t work for her. Back at the sleep clinic Millar was advised to try CPAP. Skeptical but desperate she gave it a shot.
“It’s important to see someone who is experienced in sleep disorders and has dealt with CPAP machines,” says Kelli Madden of Medigas, a home medical equipment supplier. Finding the right mask can take some time and a lot of patience on the part of both the consultant and the patient.
In the end Millar opted for a face-mask that covers her nose and mouth.
Getting diagnosed is important because sleep apnea can cause serious complications such as permanent memory loss, dementia in the elderly and hypertension.
“It can also cause daytime sleepiness and falling asleep inappropriately – say in a car – which can lead to serious accidents,” says Dr John Fleetham chair of the Canadian Thoracic Sleep Apnea Committee.
The condition can also cause heart disease because as the body struggles to get air past the narrowed passageway it creates incredible negative pressure causing changes in blood pressure. It can also lead to diabetes because sleep interruptions alter the body’s metabolic regulation.
“The reason I’ve stayed compliant and always wear the mask is that I’m now aware of the complication than can result from sleep apnea,” concludes Millar.
Diane Millar sleeps comfortably with her CPAP.
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