2024-04-17 08:16:14
Sleep apnea affects three million people in France. If breathing pauses during the night is an indicator, snoring can also be a symptom of this disorder. Doctor Vincent Valinducq tells us more in Hello! La Matinale TF1.
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Good morning ! The Morning TF1
Do you take breathing breaks during the night? You may suffer from sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome. Apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat relax and block the passage of air. When the air manages to pass slightly, we then speak of hypopnea. Vincent Valinducq alerts us to the health risks in Good morning ! La Matinale TF1.
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What are the signs of sleep apnea?
There are other symptoms that characterize sleep apnea. Fatigue upon waking up, daytime sleepiness, morning headaches, problems with concentration and libido, but also snoring are signs that can alert you.
According to Ameli’s figures, men are twice as likely to suffer from sleep apnea. People over 65 are considered at risk, as are people who are overweight or obese. You should also know that 2% of children between two and six years old may also be affected by sleep apnea syndrome because their tonsils are a little too large.
Solutions for sleep apnea?
Doctors will recommend a sleep assessment to measure heart rate, respiratory ventilation and other tests to determine the severity of apnea syndromes. Doctors base themselves on a very precise index. Between 5 and 15 hypopneas per hour, apnea is considered mild. Between 16 and 30, apnea is moderate and above 30 breathing pauses per hour, we speak of severe apnea. Depending on risk factors, patients will be equipped with a machine that continuously sends air to open the airways and prevent pauses. Another less restrictive solution is to wear a mandibular advancement orthosis to create space and thin the air. It is also possible to implement small actions: sleeping, for example, on your side, avoiding sedatives and stopping smoking.
The risks associated with sleep apnea?
In addition to causing sleep problems and disrupting the recovery process, sleep apnea can increase the risk of having a stroke. Doctor Marc Sapène, pulmonologist, explains to Sante-respiratoire.com, “repeated periods of asphyxia intermittently deprive the body’s tissues of oxygen, which is detrimental, particularly on the cardiovascular level… For these reasons, apnea can lead to a stroke, a heart attack myocardium, heart rhythm disturbances, heart failure“.
Furthermore, if 30 to 40% of patients suffering from high blood pressure suffer from sleep apnea, hypertension can be due to sleep apnea. Lack of oxygen promotes hyperglycemia, it aggravates diabetes, or even triggers it, and can even promote non-alcoholic hepatic steatosis, or “fatty liver disease”, that is to say there is a accumulation of fats in the liver. Finally, sleep apnea has consequences on behavior, mood and mental health in general. It is therefore important to consult your doctor.
Sabine BOUCHOUL | Column: Vincent VALINDUCQ
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