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I Have Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea And Diabetes: A Dangerous Duo...
http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/alerts/lung_disorders/JohnsHopkinsLungDisordersHealthAlert_3469-1.html?ET=johnshopkins:e37634:418024a:&st=email&st=email&s=W2R_100508_005
<b>If you&rsquo;re among the estimated 18 million Americans with obstructive sleep apnea, you should be screened for diabetes, according to a study reported in the journal [i]Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice[/i] (Volume 81, page 2). Here&rsquo;s what the researchers found.</b>
Sleep apnea is characterized by repeated episodes of breathing cessation (apnea) during sleep. These episodes last from 10 seconds to nearly a minute, ending with a brief partial arousal. This can occur (and disrupt sleep) hundreds of times throughout one night. Sleep apnea is about twice as common among men as among women.
An international group of diabetes experts recommends that people with sleep apnea be screened for diabetes, and vice versa. The recommendation, from the International Diabetes Federation, is based on research showing that up to 40% of people with sleep apnea have diabetes, and up to 58% of people with diabetes may have sleep apnea or some other form of sleep disordered breathing.
Although the mechanisms linking sleep apnea with diabetes are not yet fully understood, an intermittent lack of oxygen and fragmented sleep caused by sleep apnea may play a role. Fatigue and sleepiness resulting from sleep apnea also may reduce physical activity, leading to an increased risk of diabetes.
The importance of screening for both diseases is clear: The prevalence of heart disease increases progressively with the increasing severity of sleep apnea, and people with diabetes and/or sleep apnea face serious cardiovascular problems and earlier death.
If you have sleep apnea or diabetes, losing weight is a good idea. Getting your weight under control can help you better manage your diabetes. And if you're overweight and have sleep apnea, losing weight may improve your energy, concentration, work performance, apnea, and, if you're a man, may even decrease your chances of developing erectile dysfunction.
Posted in Lung Disorders on May 6, 2010

 
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