Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially dangerous medical problem that affects Americans in epidemic proportions. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night, and often for a minute or longer.

It is estimated that up to 25 percent of men and ten percent of women have this problem. Greater than 50 percent of all people over 65 years of age have obstructive sleep apnea, and most people are never diagnosed with the disorder.

The rising rates of obstructive sleep apnea are due to an increasing average age and higher obesity rates.

Obstructive sleep apnea is also associated with a higher risk for hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, stroke and life-threatening car crashes. Symptoms include snoring, fatigue, headaches and depression.

If you or your partner snores and you think it may be sleep apnea, talk to your doctor. Most people improve with changes to sleeping position or other issues like allergies. Some will require more advanced treatments, including dental devices or a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine that blows air into your airways, keeping them unobstructed.

To see if you might have sleep problems, click here for a Health Assessment Test

John Campana, MD
2555 S Downing Street, #100
Denver, CO 80210
Phone: (303)778-5658
JohnCampan@Centura.org