Suffocating to death?

Claire · Post by **Claire** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:34 pm

On a recent thread where someone was talking about problems adapting to CPAP and not using the machine, two people responded with the notion that the writer had to use the machine or, otherwise, suffocate to death.

I've thought about this for a while (hence can't remember the exact thread) and I don't think it's accurate although I'd like more information.

As I understand it, death as a result of sleep apnea is not going to occur during an apnea episode because when the blood-oxygen drops, the body reacts and forces the person to come out of sleep (for however few seconds) and start breathing again.

It's the reaction of the body--blood pressure rising, heart racing--that occurs over and over again that will eventually be life-threatening because it causes problems through rising BP, enlarged or damaged heart, etc. Not to mention other issues involved with apnea such as weight gain that can cause diabetes and problems of the body not getting enough rest which may cause a lowered immune system.

In other words, it isn't "sudden death by apnea," but really a slow erosion of body tissues and processes caused by the apnea. For example, I can easily imagine, considering the number of times I've woken up in the past 10 years with my heart racing, that one day I'd have a (perhaps fatal) heart attack. If my apnea had not been caught, everyone would have said, "Oh, heart problems ran in the family" which they do.

Any thoughts?

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:46 pm

Maybe we should call Apnea induced suffocation "Death-on-the-Installment Plan"..........

Gerald

Claire · Post by **Claire** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:52 pm

Good one, Gerald. It works for me!

SteveB · Post by **SteveB** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:02 pm

It's those "secondary" infections that get you every time. While the body is off trying to solve one problem another problem sneeks in.
The Death Certificate then reads " Complications of __________"

dieselgal · Post by **dieselgal** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:11 pm

Well from what I understand there are people that just don't wake up. So whether it is because you have a sudden heart attack because of lack of oxygen or just don't "wake up" I think it can be unexpected and sudden.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 3:14 pm

dieselgal wrote:Well from what I understand there are people that just don't wake up. So whether it is because you have a sudden heart attack because of lack of oxygen or just don't "wake up" I think it can be unexpected and sudden.

True. It's not always the slow ride that gets you! Jim

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:37 pm

Claire, I think your reasoning is good. But I have also read news articles about people who had apnea and died while recovering from surgery because they didn't have their cpap. In that case you could argue that it was the sedation, but for instance, what if you had a few glasses of wine and therefor couldn't wake up enough to restart the breathing?

I also think I have read that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is probably partially sleep apnea related...

roster · Post by **roster** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 6:54 pm

Back in the good old days, I used to hear the elders in my family talking about friends and acquaintances who "just woke up dead one morning". I wonder if some of those died of sleep apnea? Maybe "just didn't quite wakeup" was more accurate.

sootired2 · Post by **sootired2** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 8:30 pm

What can happen is that people start having arrhythmias due to the hypoxia, or low oxygen levels. Most commonly it would be PVC's, and if you get enough of them, it could lead to runs of them and then v fib and death. I don't think it is common, as I believe your body does wake you up usually, but it can happen.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:05 pm

I would be interested in better understanding the connection between stroke and sleep apnea. I have been told that the small vessels of the brain are sensitive to any compromise, and hypoxia accounts for some of the small lesions seen on MRIs of the brain called microvascular ischemic lesions. But does anyone know the mechanics of the relationship of apnea and stroke?
Kathy

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:40 pm

rooster wrote:Back in the good old days, I used to hear the elders in my family talking about friends and acquaintances who "just woke up dead one morning". I wonder if some of those died of sleep apnea? Maybe "just didn't quite wakeup" was more accurate.

That's the way I want to go, "just woke up dead one morning". Jim

unclebob · Post by **unclebob** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:58 pm

Hi Goofproof,

Seems to me you really should give this more realistic thought. A philosophy like that could have a serious impact on undiagnosed apniacs and lead to some rather unusual diagnoses by certain ever vigilant sleep specialists.

Thinking you would like to "just wake up dead one morning" may not be such a good thing! For sure you would probably be "dead tired" all day long. And what about your appointments - especially for that follow up titration? The doctor would think - why this patient is "dead to the world", we need to increase his pressure to at least 280 just to get him breathing properly!

See what I mean? The whole titration process could get skewed to death just because one apniac wants to wake up in a special way. Many newbies could have their pressure set incorrectly (not at all what they need) simply because they are huffing and puffing much stronger than the last guy who seemed to hardly breath at all.

Good fun huh! All the best.

Bob F

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:35 pm

unclebob!!!! Good to see you again!

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:43 pm

unclebob!!!! Good to see you again!

Ditto!!!

O.

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:31 am

Kathy - you can have a stroke (due to apnea) because your BP goes stratospheric as a result of the stress it's under from sustaining one apneic 'event' after another at night, from your body's needing to breathe and not getting enough 02 to do so, putting enormous strain on your whole system (such as kidneys, which leads to having to urinate overnight, etc.).

Mask

Suffocating to death?

Suffocating to death?

Sooner or later