When is sleep apnea considered severe

Women in particular should be careful as they age. While premenopausal women tend to put on weight in the hips and in the lower body instead of the belly, this shifts with time. While there have been some high-profile deaths linked to sleep apnea—such as with Judge Antonin Scalia —Jun says that the true risk is from damage done over time.

Obstructive sleep apnea can range from mild to severe, based on a measurement system called the apnea-hypopnea index AHI. The AHI measures the number of breathing pauses that you experience per hour that you sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is classified by severity:. We provide high quality, individualized care for patients of all ages where you feel most comfortable — your home or community. Our services and equipment are designed to help you regain and retain a level of independence.

Whether or not you need treatment for sleep apnea depends on its severity, whether or not you have symptoms such as sleepiness and other health conditions. For example, if you have risk factors for heart disease, your doctor might opt to treat you even for mild sleep apnea. The main choice of therapy is a breathing device called a CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure machine. A CPAP machine pipes humidified air through the nose, which creates air pressure to keep your throat open while asleep.

This prevents pauses in breathing. The study found that the resulting apnea caused a spike in blood sugar, heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones—a response similar to what might happen if you were asked to get up in front of a crowd to speak.

Not very relaxing, right? Many studies show that regular use of CPAP reduces blood pressure and improves wakefulness during the day.

People with sleep apnea who use CPAP also report improved quality of life. Noah was falling asleep during the day and behind the wheel. He saw a doctor and got help. Felicia was falling asleep during the day. Her sleep apnea diagnosis allowed her to get treatment.

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Kevin Martinez, M. Symptoms Complications Is it a disability? Who's at risk? In children Seeking help Treatment Outlook Obstructive sleep apnea is a severe sleep disorder. Symptoms of severe sleep apnea. How serious is sleep apnea? Does sleep apnea qualify as a disability? What are the risk factors for sleep apnea? Does sleep apnea affect children? When to see your doctor. What can be done for severe sleep apnea?

As you can probably guess, severe sleep apnea presents greater risks to your health. Common comorbidities such as diabetes and heart disease are connected to severe apnea. But more alarmingly, some recent studies have shown that people with severe obstructive sleep apnea may be at much greater risk for fatal events such as cancer.

Specifically, severe sleep apnea sufferers may be five times more likely to die of cancer according to research published last year. That study supports earlier findings that severe sleep apnea increased the risk of death.