Sleep Apnea Masks Reviews
Sunday, March 14th, 2010

Obstructive sleep apnea, cardiovascular effects and treatment options
Obstructive sleep apnea affects approximately 20 million people in the U.S. alone and millions more are affected worldwide. been carried out in the last 10 years, substantial research is and now there is overwhelming evidence of the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cardiovascular diseases. In particular, people who suffer from sleep apnea at an increased risk for hypertension (high blood pressure as known), coronary heart disease (atherosclerosis AKA), heart attacks, strokes, heart rhythm disturbances, heart failure, diabetes and even death.
Scary list of hazardous results demonstrated the importance of sleep apnea diagnosis in time to initiate treatment t. This last point is really the point — Happiness is sleep apnea a treatable condition. And you might be surprised that there are various options for treatment. With the right guidance of qualified Experts is a successful treatment easily accessible.
First, we must overcome all the myths that many people with sleep apnea after by the search consult the appropriate doctor to prevent affected. The biggest myth is that only get overweight or obese human OSA. This is simply not true. In fact, many people than their ideal body weight, based on BMI (Body Mass Index) are diagnosed with OSA, in fact or Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS). UARS is a form of sleep-disordered breathing, in which a person often arousals from sleep due to respiratory disease, or obstruction of the airway collapse. Often the events that the not so obvious as in OSA seen, and in many cases, snoring affects a person by UARS did not work. However, people with UARS from restful Sleep complaints, frequent nocturnal awakening, or excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue. UARS how OSA is a treatable disease.
So, how does one sleep?
Now, most people who have sleep apnea predisposes very early in life. It is actually the size and shape of the jaw and the upper respiratory system, whether a person is determined OSA development. A narrow jaw and upper respiratory tract (ie, oral cavity and pharynx) results in less Space for air flow during breathing. When a person sleeps, relax the muscles and soft tissues of the upper airway collapse and what about an increased flow resistance and airway obstruction. The airway obstruction is what causes OSA.
OSA is a simple repetitive, cyclical pattern in which a person stops breathing or stops almost breathing for periods of longer than 10 seconds each time. The following is a description of what happens during an episode. As a person sleeps, relax the upper airway and jaw, which collapse of the upper respiratory tract (ie the back of the throat). The lower jaw often relaxes and falls back a few millimeters when we sleep. Since the base of the tongue, the jaw is attached to the tongue will fall back a few millimeters further during sleep. This combination of events leads to a very narrow passage for air to flow through the back of the throat during sleep. Occasionally, the upper respiratory tract, it collapsed, with little or no air more can happen. These episodes are as apneas (complete obstruction with no air movement) or hypopneas (partial obstruction with minimal air movement). If an apnea or hypopnea occurs, it lasts for a period of 10 seconds or more. In some cases, the episodes can in the last more than a minute! During this period begins, the oxygen saturation to fall in the blood, because no fresh air or oxygen is delivered into the lungs. As the oxygen saturation drops of blood, the body goes into fight-or-flight response, resulting in increased heart rate and level of blood pressure. In essence, the heart beats faster in an attempt to bring in more fresh blood and oxygen from the lungs. This sequence of events continues, until a person has an arousal from sleep, a change in body position, a deep breath or wheezing, or a brief awakening from sleep for 2-3 seconds (most people do not remember it). This cycle of events can repeat itself several times per hour or even a hundred times a night, depending on the seriousness of the case. This cyclic arousals disturb sleep and not only fragment of the result of a very flat and not restful sleep, but they also cause repetitive strain on the cardiovascular system with the increases in heart rate and blood pressure. This repetitive stress causes the heart harder . Work Night after night, this is extra chronic stress on the heart, which many scientists believe lead to long-term adverse cardiovascular events (such to control as heart attack, stroke and heart rhythm disturbances) and the effect of blood pressure and blood sugar.
Fortunately, as already stated, is Sleep apnea a treatable condition. Further, effective treatment of OSA results in reductions in the daytime blood pressure. Effective treatment not only reduces the risk of heart rhythm disturbances such as atrial fibrillation, but it can also the risk of recurrent episodes of arrhythmias. The incidence of stroke and death is treated much less people for OSA. As for those who remain untreated OSA compared with people who treated lower blood sugar. Studies have shown how closely linked OSA and diabetes. Therefore, people with OSA and diabetes to undergo the treatment of OSA far better control of their diabetes. Finally, treatment of OSA improves sleep quality and duration, with deep and associated restful sleep. This improvement of sleep continues in the day, which reduced daytime fatigue and increased energy levels.
are in fact there is more to be a form of treatment available. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recognizes three forms of treatment has been shown to be effective for sleep apnea. The first these options is known as a CPAP or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. CPAP is still the gold standard of treatment of OSA because it is a very safe and effective form of treatment. It is also common to all successful degree of severity of OSA, including light, medium, heavy and very heavy. CPAP is a device weighing less than 10 pounds, sitting on your bedside table and filters the air in your room. As soon as it filters the air, they blow it at a higher, constant pressure through a pipe that connects a mask. The mask, which can come in many varieties, either sitting on the nose, under your nose, or through both mouth and nose. The device is used during sleep, to hold the upper airway stent to open, with the higher, fixed air pressure delivered from the machine, through the tube to the mask. It is not a fan, so that they not force them to breathe (although there are some models that have this feature for very unique cases). However, it is easier to breathe, by open the upper airways and prevent its collapse during sleep.
It takes time to adapt to get through CPAP. Most people are set to CPAP within 2-3 weeks. The real problem is always used with a mask on the nose, or under the nose of sleeping. Once you get used to this new habit, then treatment with CPAP is simple. Generally most people are comfortable with CPAP in a month, and at that point, they can pro with CPAP sleep for four hours or more overnight. Scientific studies have shown that with CPAP for at least four hours per night results in associated health benefits. Therefore, it is important to sleep with CPAP for at least four hours per night, once the initial adjustment period is over. Further, the more time spent with CPAP during sleep, the better it is for your health. There are over 1 million People in the United States successfully with CPAP on a regular and continuous basis, and if you ask one of them will be how well they sleep, they probably tell you how CPAP has dramatically improved their sleep and changed their lives for the better.
For people who are not with CPAP or for those who have a Another option prefer not succeed, can the operation be an effective form of treatment. Generally, there are about a 50-70% chance of a successful treatment of sleep apnea with surgical Intervention. This figure includes all cases, including mild, moderate, severe and very severe degree. These statistics also explains the different abilities by surgeons who perform this kind of procedure. In most cases, surgery are usually the impediment to improvement in sleep-related breathing disorders, and generally there is a reduction in the severity of OSA after the operation. It is important to your individual situation with the ENT surgeons, the tasks will be to discuss the operation. The risks and benefits of the operation should be examined before progress with surgery. Some risks associated with this type of surgery bleeding, infection and the risks often under general anesthesia. Furthermore, it is of crucial importance to ensure that the ENT surgeons She has a wide range of experience in the type of procedure, you are planning to undergo. Not all ENT surgeons receive specialist training in sleep apnea surgery, so it is important, make sure you find someone with a comprehensive Training and experience in this area for better results.
So, what exactly they do for surgery? Well, the most common surgical Procedures for sleep apnea is uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). Basically it means that the removal of the uvula, hangs in the back of the throat, with excess Tissue around the soft palate. At the same time any remaining adenoid or tonsil tissue to be resected to improve to increase the size of the respiratory airflow. This Type of surgery is very painful because of the sensitive nerve fibers in this area, so recovery time is usually about 1 week after surgery. Your doctor will provide you with medication for pain during this time. You should then repeat sleep study 2-3 months after surgery for a persistent, residual sleep apnea to reconsider. If the UPPP not entirely successful, then a second phase of the operation, may help to resolve the problem. The most common second phase of the operation called genioglossal ascent (GA) with or without Hyoid suspension. This operation involves making a small window in the bone at the front of the lower jaw to pull forward a few millimeters. By fixing this part of the mandible forward, it also brings the tongue base forward a few millimeters, thus opening space in the back of the throat. This procedure can be with or without hyoid suspension, a Surgery is done to the hyoid bone in the throat to the front, so bring carried out increasing the space in the upper respiratory tract.
Also, these surgical Interventions help to successfully treat OSA, especially in mild to moderate cases. For very severe cases, other more involved surgery is the only Way, a surgical cure. For persons with extremely OSA, gastric bypass surgery or LAP-BAND gastric surgery are obese are the only realistic surgical Option. This type of surgery is considered a major operation and careful planning and discussion with both sleep disorders physician and the surgeon is necessary.
A third option for the treatment of sleep apnea, oral appliance therapy, also known as mandibular advancement splint. These oral appliances look very similar to followers. They work by the lower jaw in a slightly forward position during sleep. This helps the space for the air flow in the upper to increase respiratory tract, thereby reducing the incidence of respiratory events during sleep. It is important to know that oral appliances may only be for the treatment of snoring and mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea. They have not shown that in the treatment of severe cases of OSA, through successful to the limitations on forward movement of the mandible.
The oral devices are made specifically for dental laboratories. Generally, to get an oral Device made for yourself, you need a dentist, visit with the use of these devices for the treatment of snoring or sleep apnea. You can sleep disturbances Doctor to talk to a dentist with this specialized training find in your local area.
Oral appliances can sometimes lead to tooth pain, jaw joint Pain, discomfort or jaw. These issues can usually be resolved with further adjustments to the device by your dentist. Often 2-3 regular follow-up visits with the dentist can help prevent problems. However, there are some cases where an individual is unable to adapt to this form of treatment. Another problem with oral appliance therapy is that health insurance companies, historically, not covered the cost of this type of treatment. Further, dental insurance has never cover for oral Therapy device available. However, device with the growing medical evidence for the oral therapy, some health insurance companies are beginning to recognize this as a viable alternative medical treatment. Just like to sleep during the operation a follow-up study 2-3 months will be made after the start of treatment with an oral appliance, ensure adequate treatment of snoring and sleep apnea.
Hopefully review of obstructive sleep apnea, the significant cardiovascular Consequences and treatment options is to increase awareness and understanding of this very important subject of health. OSA is a treatable disease. Untreated sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk for hypertension (high blood pressure or associated), heart attack, stroke, heart failure, heart rhythm disorders and diabetes. People with hypertension and untreated sleep apnea are more likely to have higher blood pressure. People with diabetes and untreated sleep apnea are more likely higher blood glucose levels. If you or someone You know may have sleep apnea, please consult a professional with formal training in sleep disorders, sleep medicine. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (www.aasmnet.org/) and the American Board of Sleep Medicine (www.absm.org/) helpful resources for finding a board-certified in sleep disorders are a doctor in your area.
About the Author
Author: Dr. Raj Kakar, M.D., M.P.H.
Dr. Kakar is a Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine (D.ABSM) and he is board-certified in both Sleep Medicine and Internal Medicine. He is the medical director for the Dallas Center for Sleep Disorders in Plano, TX.
Resources: Sleep Apnea Treatment – Snoring Treatment – Sleep Disorders
Sleep Masks – Fine Living TV