Sleep Apnea is dangerous!
Many people think that snoring is a simple annoyance. They don't realize that snoring as a result of obstructive sleep apnea can be very dangerous. A sleep apnea event can reduce your body's oxygen levels to a dangerous low. An oxygen level below 90% will often require emergency reaction in a hospital setting. Meanwhile a person at home suffering a sleep apnea event can sometimes have a 50% oxygen level. This is near the oxygen level of a freshly dead body.
Low oxygen levels like this can start to damage cells within the cardiovascular system often making conditions like artherosclerosis and diabetes worse. The body's reaction to the this low oxygen level is often a gasping reflex and a stimulation of the "fight or flight" complex. In essence your body goes into panic mode. Blood pressure levels will become elevated, therefore making a stroke event more likely.
Some studies have shown that sleep apnea will take 10 years off your lifetime. On the other hand, cigarettes are said to take 7 years off your life. Sleep apnea is one of the most dangerous and underdiagnosed diseases out there. Sleep apnea risk increases with age and weight gain. Are you at risk for sleep apnea? Take the STOP BANG sleep apnea screening test now.
Take the STOP BANG sleep apnea screening test now
- Do you Snore loudly?
- Do you often feel tired during the day?
- Has anyone observed you stop breathing in your sleep
- Do you have high blood pressure?
- Do you have a BMI of 35kg/m2 or more? Calculate your BMI here
- Are you 50 Years old or older?
- Do you have a neck size of 15"(female) or 17"(Male)
- Are you male?
- Answering yes to 3 or more of these questions puts you at a higher risk for obstructive sleep apnea. Call Dr. Lipscomb at 540-373-1641 to schedule a consultation today.
The STOP BANG test is for screening purposes only and not meant to diagnose Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Chung, F., Yegneswaran, B., Liao, P., Chung, S. A., Vairavanathan, S., Islam, S., Khajehdehi, A., and Shapiro, C. M. STOP Questionnaire A Tool to Screen Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Anesthesiology 108, 812-821. 2008.
