Health Issues Associated with Sleep Apnea

What health issues can be caused by sleep apnea? Let's put it another way. What parts of the body need oxygen?
SA (Sleep Apnea) can cause many different problems. Some problems are more common than others, but everyone is different. A person may have a health issue or issues that they think are a completely separate from the SA, but it may very well have been caused by or exasperated by the sleep apnea. Following are some of the more common health issues associated with SA. But, some people with SA show few, if any, symptoms.



  • Acid reflux (Heartburn, GERD, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) - This is a very common symptom. If you have OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea), the most common type of SA, the airway closes off and no air goes through. But, the lungs are still trying to suck in air, so stomach acid ends up getting sucked up into the esophagus. This can, over time, erode the lining of the esophagus (not good). Chronic Heartburn, over time, can cause cancer of the esophagus. You really don't want that.

  • Weight Gain - Many people think only overweight people get sleep apnea. But that is certainly not true. Sleep apnea can actually help cause weight gain. The daytime sleepiness & lack of energy means you get less exercise. Less exercise contributes to weight gain. Weight gain can make the sleep apnea worse. It can be a vicious cycle. But remember, not everyone with Sleep Apnea is overweight, many are not.

  • Cardiovascular Disease - When I started going to a cardiologist because of a heart problem, one of the first questions he asked me was about my sleep. He then referred me to a sleep doctor to get a sleep study done. That's how I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. My cardiologist knows that sleep apnea is one cause of heart problems & he screens his patients for symptoms.
    SA seems to target weak parts of the body. My heart has a slight oddity which caused me no problems whatsoever (I didn't even know about it) until my sleep apnea made it much worse. People may develop tachycardia, arrhythmia, stroke, or other heart conditions.

  • Depression - Depression can be mild or more severe.

  • Decrease in mental acuity - Lack of concentration, decrease in mental agility, forgetfulness. A lack of oxygen to the brain can cause a host of various problems with the brain. This can affect a persons work & livelihood, from poor performance progressing up to an inability to earn a paycheck.

  • Alzheimer's Disease - An estimated 70 to 80% of patients with Alzheimer's Disease have Sleep Apnea. Anyone with AD should definitely be tested for Sleep Apnea. It makes you wonder which came first, Alzheimer's Disease or the Sleep Apnea.

  • High Blood Pressure - A lack of oxygen in the blood causes the heart to work harder and the vessels leading to arms & legs constrict to try to force more blood to the brain. This can help contribute to high blood pressure.

  • Diabetes, Type 2 - Diabetes is another disease that is associated with sleep apnea.

  • Gout - There is also a very high correlation of people with gout having sleep apnea. An oxygen starved bloodstream causes the breakdown of cells which forms Uric acid, the enemy of Gout. Coupled in this low oxygen environment is carbon dioxide which causes the blood to increase in its acidity and also increases monosodium urate.

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