2007 Press Releases

During Sleep Awareness Week 2007, March 5 - 11,
Saint Barnabas Sleep Center
Offers Warning Signs of Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea Patients Have a Higher Risk
For Deadly Heart Disease

Livingston, N.J.— Saint Louis University researchers at the recent American Heart Association Scientific Sessions presented their findings that people with sleep apnea could also be at risk for a type of deadly heart arrhythmia.

Researchers looked at patients with coronary heart disease who hadn't been diagnosed with a sleep disorder. In the patients who had an irregular heartbeat called ventricular premature contraction, more than 40 percent also had sleep apnea and didn't realize it. Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that can have harmful consequences.

The researchers found that sleep apnea seemed to worsen the ventricular premature contraction, especially during the REM stage. With sleep apnea, the upper windpipe collapses during sleep.

“A sleep disorder can last for a few nights, causing minor inconvenience, or become a pervasive illness affecting all aspects of a person’s daytime life,” says Mangala Nadkarni, M.D., of The Kazmir Center for Sleep Disorders at Saint Barnabas Medical Center.

A Pervasive Problem is often Undetected

Statisticsfrom the National Institutes of Health report that sleep apnea affects approximately 18 million Americans. It is estimated that about 90 percent of all cases remain undiagnosed because the sufferers do not recognize their symptoms as a sign of sleep apnea.

According to The Kazmir Center for Sleep Disorders at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, sleep apnea is a progressive sleep disorder (it gets worse as you age), and long-term consequences include depression, obesity, high blood pressure, heart failure and cardiovascular disease. The problem is more common in men and in those who are overweight—especially in men with a collar size greater than 16 inches.

Warning signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Frequent cessation of breathing during sleep. Your sleep partner may notice repeated silences from your side of the bed.
• Choking or gasping during sleep to get air into the lungs
• Loud snoring
  Sudden awakenings to restart breathing
• Waking up in a sweat during the night
• Feeling unrefreshed in the morning after a night’s sleep
• Headaches, sore throat, or dry mouth in the mornings after waking up
• Daytime sleepiness, including falling asleep at inappropriate times, such as during driving or at work
• Lethargy
• Rapid weight gain
• Memory loss and learning difficulties
• Short attention span
• Poor judgment
• Depression
• Personality changes
  

To learn more about the evaluation, diagnosis and management of sleep apnea and other sleep-related disorders, The Kazmir Center for Sleep Disorders at Saint Barnabas will hold a free educational program on March 27, 2007, from 7 to 8 p.m. at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, 94 Old Short Hills Road in Livingston. For more information or to register, call 1-888-SBHS-123.

A diagnosis of sleep apnea is made through a sleep study performed at the Sleep Disorders Center. The general treatment is a specialized sleep mask that applies pressure to the airways. A weight loss program and possible referral to an ear, nose and throat specialist may be recommended, depending on the severity of the condition. Patients who have successfully sought treatment through the Sleep Disorders Center feel rejuvenated by their new sleep patterns, which results in a better quality of life during the day. For an appointment with The Kazmir Center for Sleep Disorders at Saint Barnabas, please call (973) 322-9800.

February 6, 2007

CONTACT: PUBLIC RELATIONS (973) 322-9901

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