PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Obstructive sleep apnea is a major cause of heart disease and stroke, but few know it.
Not everyone who snores at night has sleep apnea, but if you have been told that your snoring is impacting someone else’s sleep, or if you find yourself drowsy during the day despite getting eight hours or more of sleep, you may have obstructive sleep apnea.
The fact that you may not know it or haven’t thought about it is not unusual. Seventy percent of patients with this condition don’t know it and are not treated.
Those at risk are men, though women can develop it, especially after menopause. They are usually overweight, have a family history of the problem, and the issue is made worse by drinking alcohol in the evening.
Certainly something to bring up at your next visit to your family doctor.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.