How real is the chance of dying in your sleep due to apnea?

[5yearmask]

I am a sleep apnea patient and have been on the same machine for 5 years now. I look forward to putting on my mask because it turely makes me feel better. I never go to sleep without my friend on my face. I don't think I can go to sleep without it now..... perhaps this is the best thing, as I don't hear much about a cure from all DOC'S out there.

Why not wear your mask and take a nap that will really provide you with a much needed rest.

best of rest to you
5yearmask[/i]

[johnnygoodman]

Howdy,

Interesting timing, but I ran across an article I posted to cpapnew.com on this very subject. Turns out, the risk of death is quite significant although I believe that this study alone isn't the end all authority and more research needs to be done.

http://www.cpapnews.com/?p=26

Johnny

[Liam1965]

Hmmmm. The article says:

A new study from Israel now suggests that people who have sleep apnea may have a 10 times higher risk of dying than the general population. Yikes!

I have a couple of things to point out. First, I don't believe it. Everyone, those with various diseases to the general population has a 100% risk of dying. The question is at what AGE. I'd much rather see the article specify the difference in age.

Because I don't believe a 20 year old with apnea has a 10 times higher chance of dying AS A 20 YEAR OLD than another 20 year old. I could very well believe that your odds of living out another year as an 85 year old apnea sufferer may be much more than 10 times worse than a non-sufferer at 85.

Also, note that they didn't say dying OF apnea, they said apnea increased the chance of dying. We've all recognized that apnea can cause anoxia, which can cause organ damage and, over time, increase our risk of dying from that organ damage. This is important information, but doesn't necessarily indicate any increased risk of just dying in your sleep from an OSA event which doesn't wake you up.

(Johnny, I'm not picking on you, it's good information, and nice to know. I'm just wishing it was a little bit more definitive as to what information they're actually presenting.)

Liam, stickler for the facts.

[johnnygoodman]

Howdy,

Yup. You're right on target there Liam. I wish they had published more details and I agree with most of your post.

Johnny

[ewriter@btopenworld.com]

I have been diagnosed twice: six years ago and last year. Each time the AHI was not that low but not that high, either: 16 in 2005 and 21 in 2011. But the test in 2011 was using a PAT (at home) and i think it definitely underestimated the severity of SOME of the major apneas. I was having so many central apneas that I could not sleep for more than an hour and then would wake up, and could not sleep at all again because if i tried to 'drop off,' my heart would prevent me from dropping off because it would go into some kind of 'vibration' or 'flutter' when i did. It was a hellish nightmare for me, for more than five months. When i finally started using a CPAP (not prescribed as I have no insurance and live in China; and no, I am not Chinese), it has made an enormous difference. My energy levels are consistent, well above 'normal' and i now have a 'reserve.' Before, i was falling asleep for a few minutes at a time, every time i sat down; and every time, i would get a frightening 'chest flutter.' I am only slowly recovering, though, as it took me months to start using the machine (causing myself a lot more damage while delaying); and because it took over a month to find useful settings (I use a Remstar BiPAP Auto 750 N but i think i probably should have got an APAP). I use the CPAP mode at 12.5 which is good but it appears the BiLevel prevents all apneas and hypopneas (16.5 and 12.5). However, with the BiPAP, i get filled with air and fart continuously; and i get 'chest pain' for half of the day (possibly GERD and the gas causing a lot of irritation to my heart/vagus nerve). I still don't want to feel like a cripple using the CPAP; but i can tell you this...several times, i do forget to use the machine, decide not to use it, or take the mask off because it seems the CPAP actually is CAUSING some 'flutter.' When i do, i usually sleep well, feel rested; and often (now) i do not get 'flutter.' But i do notice sometimes, if i don't use CPAP, i will wake up with an accelerated heart rate and sometimes 'flutter;' and i may get 'chest pain.' I am not currently taking any medication; but i was (wrongly?) put on 120 mg of propranalol six years ago; and i believe the drug conditioned my heart to behave WEAKLY and that has greatly aggravated the sleep apnea (especially since i now have some Bradycardia and it is CLEAR that the beta blocker did this). Prescribing somebody a beta blocker (of any type) when their VAGAL SYMPATHETIC system is UNDERPERFORMING (hence the sleep apnea) because of a chronic lack of Oxygen and repeated heart strain, is physician-assisted suicide. Be careful never to take any sleeping pills, sedatives or more than 2 beers or drinks of alcohol when you do not use your CPAP and even if you do, keep them to the absolute minimum. If you do not, your CNS might just go away for ever.

[VVV]

How real is the chance of dying in your sleep due to apnea?

Wouldn't it at least be 33%?

(Disclaimer: I did not revive this 7 year old post.)

[Maxie]

About 8 years ago a good friend's sister-in-law died from sleep apnea. Her husband said he heard her gasping and he couldn't save her. She did not have insurance but she did know that she had sleep apnea so she was waiting for the insurance in her new job to start. At the time my daughter was in nursing school and said said one of her texts said that people didn't die of sleep apnea. We all know that is wrong but there seems to be a wide spread lack of information on the part of many doctors. I've been reading Phantom of the Night. It's a great book that I saw referenced here and it appears to me that the seriousness of sleep apnea has been slow to catch on among medical professionals. According to the book the early research on sleep apnea was done in Australia so that is why a lot of CPAP equipment is manufactured in Australia.

My main point is that my friend's brother would do anything he could to have prevented his wife's death and I think it is probably very scary to your husband to hear you stop breathing and gasping for air. When I was diagnosed with SA, the friend's death has been the main reason I have done everything I can to keep it from being me.

[tomjax]

I seriously doubt than many death certificates list sleep apnea as the PRIMARY cause of death.

MANY people not on cpap die in their sleep with many causes.

We have about a 1/3 chance of dying in our sleep, cpap or not.
It could very well be the contributing cause, not the direct cause.

[Slartybartfast]

If you think about it, isn't our last apnea always the one we die from?

[imsleepynomore]

When you use your cpap every night you will find you will not long for those 2-3 hour naps and will be awake at 6pm as well life is too short to sleep all night and 3-4 hours during the day . I have found I get 8 hour plus at night with my cpap and seldom wish for a nap . Before cpap I would want a nap within an hour of getting up in the am and fought sleep all afternoon and early evening even with an afternoon nap . I hope you become a faithfull cpap user for you sake as well as your loving husband.

[NateS]

I guess the odds would be close to 100% if apnea caused you to fall asleep while driving on the highway!

Not to mention the deaths of those wake-awake persons around you.

[MDALE]

CPAP is a blessing that helps us sleep better so we can be healthier. We need to think about in those positive terms.

To view it as something standing between you and the grim reaper reflects a negative and unproductive attitude.

Take a step or two towards the positive side of things and you will enjoy life more. That sweet CPAP air is healthy and life-giving - relish it!

[Goofproof]

Instead of going into the Light, I chose to go into the Air. Jim

[Elle]

Sleep doctors don't appear too worried or they would get us the machines a little faster.

My brother has been gasping for breath for ages and finally went for to a sleep doc more than 2 months ago. He had a sleep study done 6 weeks ago and is finally seeing results (and hopefully equipment) this week.

I started the process in Feb/06 and got my machine in August that year.

[crookneez]

I'm pretty sure sleep apnea was responsible for my fathers death.
He snored terribly and used to stop breathing and gasping for air at times.
Back then we used to see some humour in snoring and sufferers because no-one understood the severity of the problem. Not any more thankfully.

My father didn't die during his sleep due to lack of oxygen though, we believe his years of apnea caused his heart to become enlarged and he ultimately died of heart failure which is still a direct cause.
I honestly believe that if you're an Apnea sufferer and ignore it, it has the potential to kill you if not severely impact upon your life.