It appears that as time goes on and more research is completed, we find more and more connections with sleep apnea. This time around, treating sleep apnea appears to help heart failure patients. What does this mean? It means that hospital readmission rates for heart failure patients could be greatly reduced with an early diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea.
Researchers found that re-hospitalization for patients with heart failure were high and among those readmitted to the hospital, sleep apnea was common and often underdiagnosed. Through this study, researchers wanted to understand if diagnosing and treating sleep apnea could help keep them from returning to the hospital. To conduct this study, researchers gave hospitalized heart failure patients positive airway pressure therapy and monitored their compliance with the device after they returned out. Patients who used this device regularly for six months appeared to have fewer hospital readmissions and emergency room visits.
What Now?
In light of this information it is more important than ever before to get tested for sleep apnea if you feel you have it, or if you suffer from heart failure. Diagnosis is important, so don’t wait! Untreated sleep apnea can increase the risk of:
- High blood pressure
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Heart failure
If you suffer from sleep apnea you will experience frequent breathing pauses or shallow breaths while asleep. These pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes, which result in poor quality of sleep! Normal breathing will typically restart with a loud snort or choking sound.
Millions of Americans suffering from sleep apnea experience excessive daytime sleepiness, but other symptoms can often go unnoticed—seek diagnosis and treatment immediately! Contact Craniofacial Pain & Dental Sleep Center of Georgia for more information on sleep apnea and proper treatment options to further protect your health and get a better night’s sleep.
*The report was published online by The American Journal of Cardiology.
