Obstructive sleep apnea in Kolkata
Obstructive sleep apnea is a special kind of sleep disorder where breathing is obstructed while sleeping. Obstructive sleep apnea, if not treated on time can prove to be extremely fatal for the health. In this case, brain and other parts of the body become devoid of sufficient quantity of oxygen during sleep. A person suffering from any kind of breathing trouble during sleep should see a pulmonologist immediately. Yet there is nothing to worry as there are multiple treatment options available for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Kolkata.
Dr. Uttam Agarwal, head Doctor at Orange Obstructive Sleep Apnea clinic in Kolkata reveals some surprising facts related to Obstructive Sleep Apnea:
- Men are more vulnerable than Women:
A study conducted on a section of obstructive sleep apnea patients in Kolkata have revealed that given the stressful lifestyle faced by Indian men, they become highly susceptible to Obstructive Sleep Apnea in comparison to Indian women. However, women can too develop vulnerable to Obstructive Sleep apnea after reaching menopause stage.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea can be life threatening:
Untreated obstructive sleep apnea can be highly life threatening. Persistence of the disease can lead to heart disorders, blood pressure, diabetes, depression etc. At times, obstructive sleep apnea can provide extremely fatal as it can even lead to heart attacks.
- Snoring is not the only sign of Sleep Apnea
There’s no doubt that snoring is one of the most significant visible signs of obstructive sleep apnea. However, there are many more symptoms too like daytime drowsiness, breathlessness during sleep, morning headaches, mood swings, trouble focussing etc.
It can be life threatening. Persistent cases of OSA can lead to Atrial Fibrillation which can trigger heart failures or heart attacks.
Untreated Sleep Apnea leads to poor blood insulin control. As per reports, 58% of people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes suffer from OSA. And 85% of Obese people suffer from OSA.
In normal patients, blood pressure dips at night due to relaxed mode while sleeping. But this does not occur with OSA patients. Most OSA patients suffer from high blood pressure. This leads to hypertension.
Daytime drowsiness increases the chance of accidents at the workplace like while drowsing operating a heavy machinery, drowsing while driving a car etc. All these can cause serious accidents.
A survey conducted among obstructive sleep apnea patients in Kolkata have shown snoring to be the most common sign.
- Weight Gain
Sleep and weight are inversely proportional things. Less sleep may lead to obesity as people tend to eat more when they’re staying awake more than usual.
- Asymptomatic
This is a highly asymptomatic disease. Signs like going to bed and falling asleep immediately are considered to be good ones and signify good sleep. But it may actually be a symtom of sleep apnea. People who have a tendency of falling asleep anytime anywhere may be suffering from sleep apnea.
- Fatigue
Sleep Apnea leads to fatigue and tiredness throughout the day along with intermittent sleep disruption during night. This may prove to be extremely hazardous by leading to dozing off at inappropriate times like driving etc.
- Prevalent in children
Obstructive sleep apnea can be observed in children too. However the percentage of children suffering from the disease is relatively low. Children suffering from obstructive sleep apnea often show behavioural abnormalities. Most of the children tend to overcome the disease themselves without the need of any treatment.
- Diagnosis
Obstructive Sleep Apnea can easily be diagnosed by undergoing a Sleep study test at the sleep lab in Orange Dental Clinic in Kolkata or at your home also. The sleep study basically notes several vital statistics such as breathing, heart rate, oximetry, chest movements etc. while sleep.
Orange sleep apnea clinic has one of the best sleep clinics in Kolkata with the best infrastructure available. Our well equipped lab is regularly conducting sleep study tests in association with the best pulmonologists and trained sleep specialists.
However there is another simpler way of conducting the test by simply noting down the time of waking up and sleeping for a few weeks.
- Multiple Treatment options
There are several treatment options available for a patient suffering from obstructive sleep apnea in Kolkata. One of the most popular treatment option is CPAP. In this treatment, a person is made to wear a mask which helps in proper respiration by keeping the upper airway passage open. This aids in easing away breathing trouble while sleeping.
- APAP
This is Automatic Positive Airway Pressure therapy. It basically automatically adjusts the airway pressure required to keep the upper airway open. This APAP therapy is found to be more comfortable for the patients suffering from positional apnea. And it works in compliance with PAP therapy.
Basic lifestyle changes can treat sleep apnea Most of the times basic lifestyle changes are found to be one of the best treatment options for sleep apnea. For a sleep apnea patient, it is imperative to have good quality sleep – an unobstructed sleep. Some basic lifestyle changes can dramatically treat sleep apnea like – quiitng smoking, quitting alcohol, quitting soft drinks and avoiding sleeping pills. A good sleep hygiene needs to be maintained by a patient suffering from sleep apnea. The bedroom should be exclusively reserved for sleep. One should limit watching TV or mobile before going to sleep. Another good idea is to maintain a comfortable temperature during the time of sleep.
- Bilevel or BiPAP or Dual Pressure Therapy
This has to be used in case both the other PAP therapies fail to produce results. This therapy provides dual pressure levels – Lower End Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (EPAP) and Higher Inspiratory Positive Airway Pressure (IPAP). This is generally used with patients suffering from chronic lungs ailments.
- Oral Appliances
This adjusts the jaw in a forward position to ensure an relaxed upper airway so as to avoid any kind of constriction while breathing.
- Surgical treatment Uvulopalatopharyngoplastry (UPPP)
This is normally the last treatment option and is normally followed once all other modes of treatment fails. It is a risky treatment and has chances of recurrence.
For your information, Sleep apnea in Kolkata is turning out to be a serious disorder among the urban population. As per statistics, more than 20% students in private schools are suffering from sleep apnea in comparison to just 5% of students in Government schools in West Bengal. Sleep Apnea in Kolkata is caused as a result of recurrent episodes of upper airway obstruction during sleep. And obesity is one of the serious after effects of Sleep Apnea in Kolkata. The reason for Sleep Apnea in Kolkata being more prevalent in Private Schools in comparison to Government Schools is due to lesser walking and poor diet. So, sleep apnea in Kolkata can only be eliminated if there is some kind of an improvement in the student’s lifestyle.
How do you diagnose Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Kolkata?
A person with a history of suffering from snoring, daytime sleepiness and fatigue may be found to suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Kolkata. Sleep study is recommended in the cases of severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Kolkata.
To know about the severity of your Sleep Apnea disease, answer the following questions:
Do you fall asleep while:
Sitting and Reading
Watching TV
Sitting in a Public Place
Sitting as a Passenger in a car for an hour without a break
Lying down to rest in afternoon when circumstances permit
Sitting and talking
Sitting after lunch without alcohol
In car, while there you are standing in traffic
You can easily assess the severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Kolkata once you undergo a Sleep Study test. You can get tested at home or in the clinic itself. Of course it is better to get tested in the clinic because you can be sure of 100% correct readings.
Advise prior to Sleep Study:
1) Patients must take their regular medicines and must have meals on regular time before undergoing a Sleep Study test.
2) Strictly avoid any kind of sedatives if possible.
3) Hair needs to be shampooed on the same day and ensure no oil application.
4) Men should have a clean shaven look.
How to judge the severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Kolkata?
It can be judged via Apnea Hypopnea Index which is indicative of the number of times in an hour the patient stops breathing during sleep.
None if Apnea Hypopnea Index < 5 / hours
Mild if Apnea Hypopnea Index >= 5 / hours and <=15 / hours
Moderate if Apnea Hypopnea Index >= 15 / hours and <=30 / hours
Severe if Apnea Hypopnea Index >= 30 / hours