Can you die [directly] of sleep apnea?

[D.H.]

According to the article, dying directly from an episode of Sleep Apnea can't happen.

I agree that this is exceedingly rare, but I don't think it's impossible.

Certainly, it is not uncommon to die of the complications of Sleep Apnea, as is well established.


Link ===> http://lifestyle.mb.com.ph/2017/07/04/c ... eep-apnea/

[Julie]

It's certainly possible if the event is long, your O2 very blow and whatever normally stimulates breathing (neuro or otherwise) doesn't kick in.

[Guest]

The first apnea event won't normally kill you but it's that last one that surely will.
Question becomes how can you tell if it is your last apnea?

[chunkyfrog]

The article appears in the Manila Bulletin, where it appears the state pays for medical care.
Based on the premise of the article, if a patient is not in immediate peril,
the goverment may be able to weasel out of covering treatment.
Considering the current economic condition in Manila, this could easily happen.
It is all about money, kids.

[Goofproof]

According to the article, dying directly from an episode of Sleep Apnea can't happen.

I agree that this is exceedingly rare, but I don't think it's impossible.

Certainly, it is not uncommon to die of the complications of Sleep Apnea, as is well established.


Link ===> http://lifestyle.mb.com.ph/2017/07/04/c ... eep-apnea/

I'll bet they still got paid for publishing the paper. Sleep Apnea the death of 1,000 cuts, but of course sometime it just takes the right cut! Jim

It's always about the money! Ribbit!

[D.H.]

The article appears in the Manila Bulletin, where it appears the state pays for medical care.
Based on the premise of the article, if a patient is not in immediate peril,
the government may be able to weasel out of covering treatment.
Considering the current economic condition in Manila, this could easily happen.
It is all about money, kids.

If you follow this logic, you're not in peril if you have high blood pressure or diabetes either. It's very rare (but I think also not impossible) to die directly of a blood pressure spike or a sugar spike!

[D.H.]

The article appears in the Manila Bulletin, where it appears the state pays for medical care.
Based on the premise of the article, if a patient is not in immediate peril,
the goverment may be able to weasel out of covering treatment.
Considering the current economic condition in Manila, this could easily happen.
It is all about money, kids.

==========

the only money the govt has to spend was first taken from you and me

it woudl be far better to get govt out of the middle and let everybody spend their own money
without the crats taking a big hunk for themselves before doling out a pittance of it to some worthless program that is supposed to do good

This is the kind of talk that almost lead to (and may still lead to) 24-million people loosing their health coverage in the United States!

[NadiaK]

I don't know if I buy this. For years I complained to my doctor that I was always tired. Even after sleeping 8 hours. He always chalked it up to my profession. Being a teacher dealing with young children that was wearing me out. It wasn't until 4 years ago that I got a new doctor and complained to her of the same issue. She immediately suggested a sleep study which showed I had sleep apnea. So my point is, I went a good 15 years before ever being diagnosed and still survived.

[D.H.]

I don't know if I buy this. For years I complained to my doctor that I was always tired. Even after sleeping 8 hours. He always chalked it up to my profession. Being a teacher dealing with young children that was wearing me out. It wasn't until 4 years ago that I got a new doctor and complained to her of the same issue. She immediately suggested a sleep study which showed I had sleep apnea. So my point is, I went a good 15 years before ever being diagnosed and still survived.

But all that time you were at increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma, heart disease and stroke. You were also at greater risk of a motor vehicle, occupational, or household accident. Not to mention how much better you could have felt all those years!

Like I said, dying directly of Sleep Apnea is rare (non-existent according to the article). Dying of its complications is not!

[Goofproof]

The article appears in the Manila Bulletin, where it appears the state pays for medical care.
Based on the premise of the article, if a patient is not in immediate peril,
the government may be able to weasel out of covering treatment.
Considering the current economic condition in Manila, this could easily happen.
It is all about money, kids.

If you follow this logic, you're not in peril if you have high blood pressure or diabetes either. It's very rare (but I think also not impossible) to die directly of a blood pressure spike or a sugar spike!

You are not in immediate peril unless you die from something suddenly, that doesn't mean you shouldn't attempt to remove yourself from the danger.

Google Sugar Spike, D.H., get informed, think, then if you must speak. Low Sugar, is more dangerious and put you in immediate peril. (Coma) Jim

[Guest]

One might argue that apnea doesn't cause death - since post-mortem asphyxia markers are not present. That's about as foolish as claiming: "Leaping off a cliff never kills anyone... It's the blunt force trauma".

[D.H.]

The article appears in the Manila Bulletin, where it appears the state pays for medical care.
Based on the premise of the article, if a patient is not in immediate peril,
the government may be able to weasel out of covering treatment.
Considering the current economic condition in Manila, this could easily happen.
It is all about money, kids.

If you follow this logic, you're not in peril if you have high blood pressure or diabetes either. It's very rare (but I think also not impossible) to die directly of a blood pressure spike or a sugar spike!

You are not in immediate peril unless you die from something suddenly, that doesn't mean you shouldn't attempt to remove yourself from the danger.

Google Sugar Spike, D.H., get informed, think, then if you must speak. Low Sugar, is more dangerious and put you in immediate peril. (Coma) Jim

Too low blood sugar is from the treatment, not from the underlying disease!

[Goofproof]

One might argue that apnea doesn't cause death - since post-mortem asphyxia markers are not present. That's about as foolish as claiming: "Leaping off a cliff never kills anyone... It's the blunt force trauma".

Unless, the jump results in a heart attact on the way down, and you die before hitting the bottom! Jim

[gregoryjames]

I would think it would be highly unlikely to appear on an autopsy report although the heart attack or stroke which resulted primarily as a direct result of the apnea untreated for the long term would be.

My brother in law was hit in the eye a couple of weeks ago by a baseball during practice. He had to have a plastic eye socket inserted and had surgery, of course, to make this happen. He had not had a surgical procedure in many years. I have repeatedly told him, due to stories of his snoring and his wife mentioning that he stops breathing at times, that he likely has apnea. They did not mention any sleeping issues, of course before the procedure.

After the procedure they could not awaken him. When sleeping his heart rate kept dropping incredibly low and o2 levels would not stabalize. They had to transport him to another hospital and it was almost 24 hours before he became fully aware again.

The diagnosis -reaction to the sleeping meds and undiagnosed/untreated sleep apnea. Hopefully he now takes this seriously.

However, as it related back to original question - what would have been listed on the death certificate? He came closer to death than would usually occur in this situation. Would it have been a heart attack? Would this situation have occurred if he had been treated for his apnea before this time and/or the anesthesiologist was more fully aware of the issues in advance?

I do not have an answer for this but do see it as a recent example from my own family in relation to this topic. How many deaths occur that are not listed as "apnea" because it would not be the direct immediate cause of the death but the precursor (antecedent) to the issue that eventually leads to the death?

[Goofproof]

I don't know if I buy this. For years I complained to my doctor that I was always tired. Even after sleeping 8 hours. He always chalked it up to my profession. Being a teacher dealing with young children that was wearing me out. It wasn't until 4 years ago that I got a new doctor and complained to her of the same issue. She immediately suggested a sleep study which showed I had sleep apnea. So my point is, I went a good 15 years before ever being diagnosed and still survived.

I was always tired too. I worked hard and played hard, I thought it was how live was supposed to be. I was burning my candle at both ends, it's how most of us used to live. It worked until we got older, then we looked and realized the candle was also smoking and glowing in the middle, about time to slow down the pace, and plan on running the long race! Jim