Sleep apnea causes irregular breathing while a person sleeps and if untreated could increase the risk for high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke, according to Dr. James Geyer, a neurologist and director of the Sleep Program at Alabama Neurology and Sleep Medicine in Tuscaloosa.
Geyer, who is also a professor with UA’s College of Community Health Sciences, provided information about sleep apnea to members of UA’s OLLI (Osher Life-Long Learning Institute) Program during an October Mini Medical School lecture. The Mini Medical School presentations are a collaborative effort of OLLI and University Medical Center, which is operated by CCHS.
“There are many types of sleep apnea, but the most common is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA),” Geyer said. “OSA occurs when throat muscles relax and block airways, causing insufficient breathing.”
He said OSA can affect anyone but is mostly seen in people who are overweight and who have other medical conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes and enlarged tonsils that block their airways. OSA can cause snoring, fatigue and acid reflux and can prevent the body from getting enough oxygen.
Geyer said left untreated, OSA can increase the risk of heart arrhythmia, hypertension, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and insulin resistance.
Testing for OSA involves a sleep study, which monitors breathing patterns, oxygen levels, heart rate and airflow, as well as eye movements. CPAP machines are commonly used to treat OSA because they provide “a continuous positive airway,” Geyer said.
A CPAP machine uses mild air pressure through a face mask to keep breathing airways open while a person sleeps. Surgery is another treatment and used to remove either excess tissue or widen the airways to improve breathing.
Geyer is directing a clinical trial at CCHS that is using an investigational drug, Apnimed, which previous research has shown improves abnormal breathing that occurs during OSA.
Apnimed is a pill taken nightly before bedtime.
“There are currently no medications that are FDA approved for obstructive sleep apnea,” he said.