A question about a sad event

[Mr. Bear]

Hey All, my cousin passed away last week, and we're not sure why. My sister was thinking it may have been due to untreated sleep apnea. But despite having 11 years on the PAP, I hardly consider myself an expert, and was hoping someone might be able to say "heck no," or "maybe" He was 64, thin, and in reasonably good health. Apparently he died peacefully in his sleep. They performed an autopsy, but there was no evidence of a heart attack or stroke, and we're waiting for the toxicology report (he was on a number of medications).

I would have thought that if he HAD had sleep apnea, there would be some obvious signs of it during the autopsy. He was a bit of a hypochondriac, so he was seeing a few doctors regularly. I would have thought that any signs would have made themselves known much earlier.

Thanks.

[chunkyfrog]

I'm so sorry about your loss.
Sometimes they simply cannot tell.
Until you know something, don't let it be a burden.
We are all different; and what his COD was, it may not affect others in the family.

[Wulfman...]

Hey All, my cousin passed away last week, and we're not sure why. My sister was thinking it may have been due to untreated sleep apnea. But despite having 11 years on the PAP, I hardly consider myself an expert, and was hoping someone might be able to say "heck no," or "maybe" He was 64, thin, and in reasonably good health. Apparently he died peacefully in his sleep. They performed an autopsy, but there was no evidence of a heart attack or stroke, and we're waiting for the toxicology report (he was on a number of medications).

I would have thought that if he HAD had sleep apnea, there would be some obvious signs of it during the autopsy. He was a bit of a hypochondriac, so he was seeing a few doctors regularly. I would have thought that any signs would have made themselves known much earlier.

Thanks.

With regard to your Subject line..........What's your question?


Den

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[Mr. Bear]

Hey All, my cousin passed away last week, and we're not sure why. My sister was thinking it may have been due to untreated sleep apnea. But despite having 11 years on the PAP, I hardly consider myself an expert, and was hoping someone might be able to say "heck no," or "maybe" He was 64, thin, and in reasonably good health. Apparently he died peacefully in his sleep. They performed an autopsy, but there was no evidence of a heart attack or stroke, and we're waiting for the toxicology report (he was on a number of medications).

I would have thought that if he HAD had sleep apnea, there would be some obvious signs of it during the autopsy. He was a bit of a hypochondriac, so he was seeing a few doctors regularly. I would have thought that any signs would have made themselves known much earlier.

Thanks.

With regard to your Subject line..........What's your question?


Den

.

Sorry...my question is: can sleep apnea lead to death, where there aren’t any obvious problems that would show up in an autopsy? I know that it can lead to cardiovascular disease, so would they see heart or lung damage? (He wasn’t a smoker, either)

[Pugsy]

I don't think that there would necessarily be any obvious signs of sleep apnea other than maybe some potential physical factors that might predispose someone to have sleep apnea which a skinny person probably wouldn't have that would maybe point to sleep apnea as being the cause of death.

So I don't think that there would be anything obvious related to sleep apnea that might show up on an autopsy as the primary cause for sudden death.

If he was on a "number of medications" then he had some other health issues that may have played a part and those along with untreated apnea might possibly have been a factor. We just don't always know what starts the ball rolling for the heart to decide it just doesn't want to work anymore. Sometimes it's not just one thing but instead a combination of things.

[D.H.]

I'm sorry about your loss.

I don't think you'll ever know for sure whether Sleep Apnea was contributory to his death.

It's usually not primary, though I can't say never.

In any case, Sleep Apnea should not go untreated or undiagnosed.

[chunkyfrog]

+1
Autopsies usually zero in on such things as heart, lungs, whatever, because--money, time.
A close examination of upper airway structures might not even be done.
The fact that he was considered a hypochondriac might have affected his treatment.
Whether he had an undiagnosed condition or was merely "too much trouble" may never be found.

[Okie bipap]

Sorry for your loss. When a person sees "a few" doctors, they increase their chances of having their medications interact with adverse effects unless every doctor has full access to the other medical records. Personally, I see four doctors, three of which (PCP, cardiologist, sleep specialist) come under the same medical facility so they all have complete access to my medical records. The fourth doctor is a pulmonologist I was referred to by my PCP for asthma and allergies. I make sure my other doctors know every medication he prescribes for me

[palerider]

An apnea event could have been the cause, sleep apnea doesn't leave recognizable signs, per se. That is why it is so under diagnosed in the general population.

So, yes, it could have been... I remember reading that a good percentage of "died in their sleep" cases were likely from sleep apnea.

Sorry for your loss.

[Goofproof]

Hey All, my cousin passed away last week, and we're not sure why. My sister was thinking it may have been due to untreated sleep apnea. But despite having 11 years on the PAP, I hardly consider myself an expert, and was hoping someone might be able to say "heck no," or "maybe" He was 64, thin, and in reasonably good health. Apparently he died peacefully in his sleep. They performed an autopsy, but there was no evidence of a heart attack or stroke, and we're waiting for the toxicology report (he was on a number of medications).

I would have thought that if he HAD had sleep apnea, there would be some obvious signs of it during the autopsy. He was a bit of a hypochondriac, so he was seeing a few doctors regularly. I would have thought that any signs would have made themselves known much earlier.

Thanks.

With regard to your Subject line..........What's your question?


Den

.

Sorry...my question is: can sleep apnea lead to death, where there aren’t any obvious problems that would show up in an autopsy? I know that it can lead to cardiovascular disease, so would they see heart or lung damage? (He wasn’t a smoker, either)

Sleep Apnea is Death by 1,000 Cuts. It damages the body, so does age, and how we live our lives. It's time to morn him, he is at peace now. Hope his last hours were peaceful and painless, that's what I would like for my family and friends. Jim

[Mr. Bear]

Thanks, everyone! Unless the toxicology report comes back with something, we'll probably never know. I would have thought that someone with untreated sleep apnea, after many years, would have an obviously damaged heart and/or lungs. But, yeah, unless they were looking for something specific, they wouldn't see anything subtle.

[icipher]

Sorry to hear. I've had multiple friends who's parents have died recently, most were in their 60's and for some reason they all die in their sleep. The more you dig into death, it seems that the vast majority of sudden, unexpected death occurs while people are sleeping. What a strange phenomenon.