Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects nearly one-third of adults and many children. It is one of the most common reasons patients seek out sleep specialists at The Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona. We are staffed by sleep specialists and have been named “Top Doc” in the Phoenix area for the last six consecutive years. Here, you will enjoy unprecedented staffing levels with three sleep specialists, a clinical psychologist focused on CBT, and access to many more experts. As an outcome-driven clinic, we prioritize a correct diagnosis first, which is a must for next steps including testing and treatment.
OSA might be common, but it is also vastly under-diagnosed and treated. One of the most obvious signs of OSA is snoring as well as daytime fatigue no matter how much sleep you think you got. Everyone has poor sleep from time to time, but when it’s chronic—whether due to OSA or another factor—it can yield serious consequences. In fact, lack of quality sleep has been linked to a number of health risks including diabetes, heart disease, and even dementia.
Treating OSA Can Reduce the Risk of Dementia
A recent study published in Helio found that treating OSA and getting it under control can lead to a lower incident of all types of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease. According to one of the authors, Dr. Galit Levi Dunietz who is also an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Michigan, she says, “Although some evidence suggests a possible therapeutic benefit of positive airway pressure therapy [CPAP] on cognitive performance in older individuals, advanced knowledge of this topic has been limited.” More research is needed since the studies have largely been small and/or used regional samples, but the results thus far are promising. If you want to minimize your risk of dementia and you have OSA or suspect you do, it’s time to get it under control.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia in adults. The Michigan Medicine’s Sleep Disorders Center reports 53,321 Medicare patients (the majority of which were men) who are over 65 years old have been diagnosed with OSA for at least one decade. Each of these patients had been evaluated for new neurocognitive syndromes between 2011 – 2013. In total, 78 percent were given positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy and almost two-thirds showed that they properly adhered to the treatment. “Proper” adherence was defined as at least two Healthcare Common Procedure Coding Systems (HCPCS) codes entered.
Positive Airway Pressure Benefits
Researchers found that treating OSA was especially helpful in preventing Alzheimer’s but also beneficial in reducing odds of “dementia not otherwise specified.” There were also lower incidents of mild cognitive impairment when therapy was used. According to the authors, even though the findings are not wholly comprehensive and more research needs to be done, there is a clear correlation between sleep and cognitive function.
However, treating OSA is particularly linked to short-term risk of dementia. This may be due to the lack of stronger research, but researchers suspect that a causal link may be present. So, what does this mean for you? No matter your age or gender, it is important to make sure you are treating your OSA. The most common treatment plan uses CPAP therapy, and this approach works for most people. However, at The Insomnia and Sleep Institute, Dr. Ruchir P. Patel can also offer the Inspire implant in the rare circumstance that CPAP does not work for a patient.
If you have OSA or think you might, managing it with CPAP or an Inspire implant will improve your overall health. In addition to lowering risks of dementia, managing OSA can also decrease overall related co-morbidities and improve your quality of life. When you get enough quality sleep that is unobstructed, you will perform better at work, in your hobbies, and enjoy richer relationships.
Get in touch with The Insomnia and Sleep Institute today by starting an online chat or calling the office. Consultations are available in person or virtually.
