As a Beverly Hills sleep apnea dentist I was surprised to see the results of a new study. The research, completed in Sweden, showed that 50% of the 400 women given overnight sleep tests turned out to have mild to severe cases of sleep apnea. Women who had the risk factors of high blood pressure or obesity were even more likely to have sleep apnea (over 80% of this group suffered from the disorder).
Sleep apnea is linked to increased risk of stroke, heart attack, diabetes and early death. The population of women in the Swedish study was random and half of them experienced at least five episodes an hour when they stopped breathing for periods of longer than 10 seconds. This is the definition of mild sleep apnea. Many women stopped breathing even more often and were diagnosed with moderate to severe sleep apnea.
Lead researcher Dr. Karl Franklin said “How important is the mild sleep apnea, we don’t know.” Another sleep specialist, Dr. Terry Young of the University of Wisconsin said that mild sleep apnea is something that shouldn’t be ignored. “We see that it doesn’t go away and it gets worse,” she said.
Dr. Young also explained that sleep apnea is typically thought of as a condition that affects men. “The prejudice of excluding women(as potentially having sleep apnea) has been rampant for a long time. It’s gotten better, however, and the (public health) gain in identifying women with sleep apnea is great,” she continued.
Beverly Hills women who experience snoring, extreme daytime sleepiness, weight gain and high blood pressure should be screened for obstructive sleep apnea. Many people choose not to be tested because they are afraid they will have to sleep with a CPAP. While CPAP is the gold standard of treatment for sleep apnea, more and more patients are choosing an oral appliance instead. Oral appliances are small, comfortable and easily tolerated by most patients. They work by placing the lower jaw in a forward position that enables the airway to remain open during sleep. No more snoring and no more gasping for breath following stoppages of breathing.
To schedule your screening visit please contact Beverly Hills sleep apnea dentist Dr. David Frey at 310-276-4537 today.
