AVOIDING DIABETES - TREATMENT IS WORTH IT!

In cruising around the Net today (when I should be working!) I came across a very interesting discussion about the relationship between untreated OSA and diabetes. It looks like OSA is causal to diabetes but once diabetes starts, it is irreversible!

Here's a link to the article: http://tinyurl.com/2yse7k

Here's an excerpt:

"Sleep debt strongly affects glucose utilization as well as circadian cycles of thyrotropin, cortisol, growth hormone, and other physiological variables. Sleep debt alone is reported to result in impaired glucose effectiveness similar to that found in non-insulin-dependent diabetics. Severe OSA significantly influences plasma insulin and glycemia and may increase the risk of diabetes independently of obesity."

"Insulin resistance is found in both obese and non-obese OSA patients. Blood pressure and fasting insulin correlate closely with both BMI and the severity of OSA. Thus, both the sleep debt and the sympathetic activation that accompany OSA may speed the deterioration of glucose tolerance. Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia lead to further sympathetic activation, thus completing the circle of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and the related metabolic abnormalities.

"Clearly, it is important to manage all the risk factors for diabetes and hypertension. Patients with diabetes, obesity, and hypertension have about a 70% chance of having significant OSA. Thus,OSA must be included in the differential diagnosis for hypertension. Treatment of OSA in the obese, diabetics, and hypertensives may improve insulin responsiveness (32%), reduce blood pressure, and normalize the abnormal growth hormone cycle – and may possibly improve the impaired lipid metabolism seen in OSA. Patients with hypertension and diabetes should be asked specific questions that can reveal undiagnosed OSA. A positive answer to the following two questions provides a 90% predictability for identifying a sleep disorder:

• Do you snore?
• Have you ever been told that you stop breathing during sleep?

"Physicians who ask these questions can expect an eightfold increase in OSA patients in their office. After treatment of OSA, they can also expect improvement in the management of both hypertension and diabetes."

Recent articles in Chest and Cardio Thoracic Journals state that after the onset of insulin resistance, little can be done to reverse it. Thus, xPAP therapy may save you and your body from the ravages of diabetes!

Hi Sleepguy,

Personal experience bears this out. In the summer of 2005 before I got my OSA diagnoses I had a bunch of bloodwork done. My GP told me I was dangerously close to being diabetic. My BP kept getting out of control as well.
My blood sugar is now normal and my BP is much better than it has been in over 20 years.

Brian