Sleep apnoea (OSA) is little discussed considering its prevalence in the UK. Indeed, many people have never heard of it, although labour leader Ed Milliband's recent surgery brought the disorder into the public eye. Experts believe that somewhere between 2 and 4% of the UK population suffers from sleep apnoea, but that only a tenth of sufferers are diagnosed and receiving treatment. Considering the potentially serious complications and consequences associated with this disorder, this is worrying.
The problem with OSA is that sufferers tend to be unaware anything is wrong. The disorder does not strike whilst the sufferer is awake. It is when the individual sleeps that problems begin. Whilst the patient sleeps, the muscles surrounding the wind pipe relax, narrowing the space through which air can pass to the lungs. This causes loud snoring. However, sleep apnoea sufferers' windpipes become totally obstructed by the relaxed throat muscle and tissue, preventing any air from reaching the lungs. After a few seconds the brain becomes aware that there is a problem preventing air from reaching the lungs and pulls the sufferer gasping back into wakefulness. This moment of wakefulness is so brief that sufferers immediately fall back to sleep, and wake in the morning unaware that anything has occurred. Of course, over time this routine of waking several times through the night takes its toll and sleep apnoea patients suffer extreme tiredness and headaches. They may also become irritable, depressed or disinterested in sex. Unfortunately, too many put these symptoms down to other causes or simply become accustomed to them.
Those sufferers who share their bed or home with other people may have been told about their loud snoring. However a lack of awareness of the disorder leads many to assume it is simply snoring and not a cause for concern. In many cases partners become concerned by the gasping for breath they observe in their loved one and insist on a visit to the doctor.
Where loud snoring is a problem the cause will not necessarily be sleep apnoea, but there is a strong chance it is. Patients who are overweight, who smoke and who have larger neck measurements are more likely to have the disorder, so such patients should discuss the possibility of sleep apnoea when talking with a doctor about their snoring.
In the long term, diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease have all been associated with sleep apnoea. For this reason we should all be vigilant for family members who snore excessively loudly.
There are a number of great resources for sleep apnoea information on the internet. One is from a leading healthcare company, DeVilbiss Healthcare. Their site can be found at http://www.devilbisshc.com/
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