At least one in five people don’t know they have this sleep problem
The Sydney Morning Herald
23-05-19 19:00
A new study by 20,151 French adults found that as many as one in five people may have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a condition severe enough to increase health risks. Despite being treatable, sleep apnoea can raise the risk of developing other health issues. For instance, a study by Flinders University showed that OSA could increase the likelihood of developing high blood pressure by up to 70%, while a study on mice highlighted how OSA disrupts breathing during sleep, depriving the brain of oxygen and causing the same degeneration of neurons that die in dementia. However, only around 20% of people with sleep apnoea are diagnosed, according to Lynn Bilston, principal research scientist at Neuroscience Research Australia.. Medical experts suggest seeking treatment as untreated OSA increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by 150%, diabetes by 60%, depression by 160%, road traffic accidents by over 200% and causes industrial accidents to rise over 50%.