A major threat to your health could be happening when you least suspect it. About three out of four adults in the United States have a sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or central sleep apnea (CSA). OSA happens when the throat muscles relax and block your airway, which causes you to stop breathing for brief intervals. In CSA, the brain does not send the right signals to the muscles that regulate breathing.
You may not even be aware if you have either of these sleep disorders, but your body keeps the score. Evan Fountain, MD, a board-certified pulmonologist with Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Pulmonary Medicine, suggests seeing a pulmonologist if you experience any of these symptoms:
• Snoring, choking or gasping during sleep
• Unrefreshing sleep
• Excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Headaches
• Waking with a sore throat
Diagnosing sleep disorders takes time but is essential if you have symptoms. “When untreated, apnea increases your risk of diabetes, heart attack and stroke because it raises blood pressure and stress hormones,” explains Dr. Fountain. And because apnea decreases oxygen to the brain, it raises the risk of dementia, too. Apnea also increases the hormones responsible for hunger, which can cause weight gain. Maintaining a healthy weight is one way to lower your risk of developing apnea.
Chris Moncus Photography
Dr. Evan Fountain, Southeast Georgia Health System
Sleeping with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine and mask is the standard treatment, though other options are emerging. “The INSPIRE implant is a wonderful option to treat OSA if you meet the criteria. It involves surgically implanting two nerve stimulation leads in the chest,” says Dr. Fountain. INSPIRE stimulates the hypoglossal nerve which controls movement of the tongue and other airway muscles, allowing the airway to stay open. Dr. Fountain refers interested patients to Sherman Stevenson, MD, an ear, nose and throat specialist and surgeon with Southeast Georgia Health System.
While you don’t have to be overweight to have apnea, excess weight is a major risk factor. “Other risk factors include having a small jaw that is behind the line of your mouth or a larger neck. Age-weakened muscles can also block the airway,” Dr. Fountain explains. Central sleep apnea is associated with neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease or a previous stroke. It’s also more common in people with heart failure.
Because obesity is a risk factor for OSA, doctors may recommend Wegovy or Ozempic weight loss drugs. “Both reduce the GLP-1 hormone, so you feel fuller longer,” Dr. Fountain says. If a patient might benefit from bariatric (weight loss) surgery, Dr. Fountain refers them to Health System surgeon J. William Tsai, MD.
Sleep studies, CPAP machines, medications or surgery – it’s a lot to consider, except when you consider that apnea impacts every aspect of life. If you have symptoms, invest in your health by seeing a pulmonologist.
To schedule an appointment with a pulmonologist at Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Pulmonary Medicine, call 912.466.5504.
