SLEEP APNEA

Sleep Apnea is a vexing, potentially serious medical condition which afflicts nearly 20 million Americans. “Apnea” – by definition – means “without breath.” During episodes of sleep apnea, which can occur as frequently as every other minute in severe sufferers, the patient ceases to breathe – often for stretches of 30-45 seconds at a time or longer. In mild cases, this can result in disrupted sleep patterns (sufferers typically find it harder to log hours in deep restorative REM sleep). This is turn can lead to chronic fatigue during the day and a proclivity to getting into accidents and making bad judgments. In more severe situations, apnea can lead to serious medical crises, such as a particularly pernicious form of chronic heart failure (CHF), which can be fatal. Add to these issues the fact that sleep apnea often presents as loud snorting and snoring throughout the night: not exactly a recipe for marital harmony.

So what are some home treatments for sleep apnea? For mild cases, many doctors counsel patients to lose weight, to lay off the alcohol and sedatives (especially in the evening), and to change sleeping positions to avoid constricting the airway. For other apnea sufferers, a therapy called CPAP (short for “continuous positive airway pressure”) might be employed to keep the airway open and functional throughout the night. In critical situations, apnea patients may undergo surgery to tighten and tone muscle tissue in the throat or chest, widen passageways for air, or remove obstructions.

An interesting debate regarding Medicare and home apnea treatment has recently been making headlines. Currently, Medicare funds CPAP therapy (and other home treatments) only for seniors who undergo detailed exams at sleep laboratories. However, some now argue that Medicare should expand its purview to help those who self-diagnose at home.