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Sleep Apnea Tied to Diabetes and Obesity |
About 87% of obese patients with type 2 diabetes have undiagnosed sleep
apnea, which can lead to serious medical consequences, according to a
study funded by the National Institute of Health. Sleep apnea is
characterized by frequent pauses in breathing and brief interruptions
in sleep, which reduces quality of sleep and can lead to daytime
fatigue.
Researchers tested 306 obese patients with diabetes for the sleep disorder and found that most had sleep apnea but didn't know it. About 30% of them stopped breathing between 16 and 20 times per hour during sleep-apnea episodes and 22% had more than 30 episodes an hour, which is considered a severe form.
"Sleep apnea is a serious health problem with significant medical consequences including increasing the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, motor vehicle accidents and compromised quality of life," says Gary Foster, lead author of the study published in the June issue of Diabetes Care and director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University.
“Patients and doctors need to be more aware of under diagnosed sleep apnea among obese patients with diabetes so effective treatments can be prescribed,” Foster says.
USA Today
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