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Heart Failure & Potential Complications From Sleep Apnea

By: Rudy Watkins. There are many serious medical concerns from sleep apnea but now a study had linked serious and fatal complications for patients with heart failure. People with sleep apnea experience decreased or interrupted breathing during which the brain is oxygen deprived and not able to send out the messages to the respiratory muscles to inhale and exhale. Breathing can stop for several seconds or as much as a minute. Since these episodes can happen frequently during the night, it causes a special worry for people who suffer from heart problems.

Serious Concerns

Anyone who has heart failure should take note of the complications that can occur if sleep apnea is also present. A basic definition of heart failure is a disorder in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood per minute to supply the entire body's need for oxygen and essential nutrients. The key word here is oxygen. In both sleep apnea and heart failure, the person's supply of oxygen is reduced. When both conditions are present in a person, the failure of meeting necessary oxygen requirements is doubled to a dangerous degree.

A person suffering from heart failure is at a higher risk of dying during an episode of sleep apnea. The lower oxygen level in the body may also damage major organs as well as resulting in psychological problems from insufficient sleep.

What Can You Do?

You can be helped if you have both of these conditions. A mild diuretic and respiratory stimulant called acetazolamide is now being prescribed. When taken before bedtime, this drug may improve oxygen levels to help lessen sleep apnea problems. People participating in a study taking this prescription drug, were less tired and had better concentration during the daytime.

Until this study, there wasn't a major known concern between heart failure and sleep apnea. Now doctors are aware of the problems that could happen due to the extra drop of oxygen levels. If you are suffering from heart failure you may want to consult with your doctor if you suspect you may have sleep apnea as well.

Although sleep apnea is very common, most of the time people are unaware they have this disorder. A proper diagnosis and treatment plan will provide both a restful night's sleep as well as a safer one.

Article Source: http://www.lifeweightloss.com

Wondering what you can do about sleep apnea and snoring? A look at some sleep apnea statistics will tell you that you're not the only one suffering from it. Find out how to identify sleep apnea as well as some of the treatments for it on the Apnea Guide website at www.apneaguide.com

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