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Effects Of Sleep Apnea

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One of the factors that is somewhat beyond our control is age. Sleep apnea is more common is people over the age of 30, with the highest percentages in males over 40 years old.

It is more commonly found among men than women. It is thought that between 12 and 20 million Americans are affected by sleep apnea, ranging from mild to severe. Breaking that down by gender, roughly 24% of American men suffer from sleep apnea compared to only 9% of women.

Post-menopausal women are more likely to be affected by it and the percentages between men and women become much closer after women have gone through menopause.

There have been many studies done to examine the difference between male and female sufferers. Some of these studies show that men are 2 to 3 times more likely to suffer from sleep apnea, while other studies have shown them 5 to 6 times more likely to deal with it than women.

Genetics does play a part in sleep apnea but it is not really known how large a part. If you have a family history of sleep apnea - in either men or women - it is more likely that you will develop the disorder at some point in your life.

Race is another factor that appears to play a role. African Americans as well as Hispanics and Pacific Islanders are more likely to be afflicted than Caucasians. They are still affected by it but in lower percentages.

Any type of medical condition that affects your breathing can ultimately contribute to sleep apnea. Health conditions such as Marfan's syndrome or Down syndrome that can lead to abnormalities in the face and head - known as craniofacial problems - lead to a much greater chance of sleep apnea.

Effects Of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is when you periodically stop breathing while you are sleeping and this can happen up to 90 times a night. The main effects of sleep apnea are sleep deprivation and oxygen deprivation. The oxygen deprivation can lead to a host of problems such as heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, depression and rapid weight gain.

An economical means of detecting sleep apnea is to use a pulse oximeter. A pulse oximeter is a photoelectric monitoring device that measures the oxygen saturation in a person's blood by registering pulsations within an articular bed, and detecting the percentage of hemoglobin (Hb) that is saturated with oxygen.

This unit is in the form of a portable pulse oximeter that consists of a light emitting diode. A photo detector probe is attached to the patient's finger or ear lobe which is linked to a computerized unit. The unit displays the percentage of Hb saturated with oxygen together with an audible signal for each pulse beat, a calculated heart rate, and a graphical display of blood flow past the probe.

A pulse oximeter works by using an external probe to bounce red and infrared light off the capillary bed underlying the probe. The source of light originates from the probe at two wavelengths. The light is partly absorbed by Hb, by amounts which differ depending on whether it is saturated or desaturated with oxygen. By calculating the absorption at the two wavelengths, the processor can compute the proportion of hemoglobin which is oxygenated. The pulse oximeter is dependent on a pulsatile flow and produces a graph of the quality of flow.

Pulse oximeters may be used in a variety of situations but are of particular value for monitoring oxygenation and pulse rates. There are several different styles of pulse oximeters, from table top models used in the hospitals, to handheld units and portable finger pulse oximeters. The handheld pulse oximeter uses a probe, which is placed in the person's earlobe or finger and is attached to the unit with a cord. Its method of use means that It is more appropriate to use in a clinical setting rather than in the home.

A finger pulse oximeter, on the other hand, is very compact. The unit itself is placed on the fingertip and it shines two beams of light through the fingertip to sort out the color of the blood and determine the oxygen saturation level and pulse rate. The portability of the finger pulse oximeters makes them a very popular choice for home use and for medical professionals who are always "on the go".

The use of a pulse oximeter to help in detecting sleep apnea is a non-intrusive, painless and inexpensive procedure.

Copyright (c) 2007 Mike Jennings

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About Author

Both Rudy Watkins & Mike Jennings are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Rudy Watkins has sinced written about articles on various topics from Coffee Advantages, Sleep Apnea and Health. Rudy Watkins looks at some on the Apnea Guide website. For more helpful tips and advice and to sign up for our free ne. Rudy Watkins's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.

Mike Jennings has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acne Treatment, Blood Pressure and Sleep Apnea. Suffering from sleep apnea is certainly no fun for your partner as Michael Jennings knows. Using a has helped. Mike Jennings's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.

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