Why is obstructive sleep apnea concerning? Does it increase your risk of chronic illnesses?

Singer-composer Bappi Lahiri, the iconic figure and face behind several disco hits in the late 70s-80s breathed his last at a Mumbai hospital late last night(February 15). Reports state that the legendary singer had been suffering from multiple health issues and finally succumbed to obstructive sleep apnea.

Unlike chronic heart conditions or diabetes or cancer, sleep apnea is a condition that people generally overlook or do not understand. Loud sleeping or snoring is only treated as a nuisance, but if it is an outcome of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), it is a sign of a greater health problem.

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There are different types of sleep apnea.

Central sleep apnea is when the airway is not blocked, but the brain fails to send proper signals to the muscles that control the breathing. It is usually associated with the functions of the central nervous system.

On the other hand, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a more common form of sleep apnea that occurs when the throat muscles intermittently relax and block the airway during sleep. People with OSA experience intervals of complete or partial upper airway blockage during sleep, which compels the chest muscles to work harder to open the airways. Therefore, when the breathing resumes, there is either a gasp or a jerk that follows.

Most often, the early signs of sleep apnea are recognized by others - a bed partner or a spouse, instead of the patient himself or herself.

Dr Narayanan says that the main symptoms for which patients seek advice are loud snoring and episodes of interrupted breathing noticed by the spouse.

"Patients may have abrupt awakening at night following a sensation of choking. Daytime sleepiness is very common. They may also have early morning headaches, difficulty in concentration, mood changes and decreased libido," he adds.

Normal snoring is not accompanied by interrupted breathing, explains Dr Narayanan.

"OSA is confirmed by performing overnight sleep study. During this procedure, the patient's breathing, muscle tone, heart activity, Brain activity and blood oxygen saturation are measured," he says. Those who are diagnosed with OSA, treatment with oxygen under pressure is very effective in alleviating the problem, he further advises.

Obstructive sleep apnea can occur due to multiple reasons. Some of the risk factors laid down by the doctor are obesity, advancing age, high BP, smoking, diabetes and narrowing of airways by disorders such as enlarged tonsils.

According to the doctor, pursuing a healthy lifestyle paying attention to adequate exercise and a healthy diet helps minimize the risk of OSA and its adverse consequences on overall well-being.