SLEEP 2013: Patients with Diabetes, Hypertension Must Be Evaluated for Sleep Apnea

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), it is recommended that anyone with diabetes or hypertension should be evaluated for sleep apnea by a board-certified sleep medicine physician. Sleep apnea consists of repeated partial or complete collapse of the airway during sleep that contributes to interrupted breathing, oxygen level drops, and fragmented sleep. The condition has been strongly linked to the incidence of both Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. "Diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea from a board-certified sleep medicine physician will promote improvement in these conditions - including improved insulin sensitivity, blood pressure and cholesterol," according to M. Safwan Badr, MD, president of the AASM. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are 25.6 million Americans aged 20 years or older with diabetes. Nearly 70% of these individuals also have sleep apnea. Untreated sleep apnea worsens blood glucose control and treatment may improve the condition. Additional benefits of treatment include improved daytime cognitive function and mood. A study from Esra Tasali, MD at the University of Chicago shows that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may have as much of an effect as prescribed oral diabetes medications. Moreover, nearly 1 in 3 adult Americans suffer from high blood pressure. Some 30 to 40 percent of these people also have sleep apnea. Resistance to blood pressure medications is often due to unrecognized...
Source: About Sleep Disorders - Category: Sleep Medicine Source Type: news