Sleep Apnea
What can be done to prevent the condition?
Weight management can prevent some cases of obstructive sleep apnea. It may be helpful for people with narrow breathing passages to have their tonsils and adenoids removed.
What are the long-term effects of the condition?
Sleep deprivation can lower a person's quality of life and increase the risk for accidents. Up to 50% of the individuals with sleep apnea have high blood pressure. They are also at increased risk for the following disorders:
arrhythmia, or irregular heart rhythm, which may be fatal
cor pulmonale, or enlargement and weakening of the right side of the heart
heart attack
pulmonary hypertension, or high blood pressure in the arteries that supply the lungs
stroke
What are the risks to others?
Sleep apnea is not contagious and poses no risk to others.
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