Article 2024 May 16

Sleep Apnea Increases Susceptibility to Pneumonia


Severe sleep disorders raise the patient's risk of all-cause mortality by 3-folds, significantly increasing the chance of chronic and severe health complications and early death.1

Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) 
Many people overlook the potential severity of loud snoring, but when combined with symptoms like daytime sleepiness, impaired concentration, morning headaches, or gasping for air during sleep, it may indicate a more serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This disorder stems from the relaxation of soft tissues in the upper respiratory tract, leading to airway narrowing or collapse, and sometimes even pauses in breathing, which can pose risks like hypoxia 2. 
Effects on Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Health 
The consequences of untreated OSA extend beyond sleep disruptions. Studies have extensively linked OSA to various cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, including high blood pressure, coronary artery diseases, strokes, dementia, arrhythmias, heart failure, and even sudden cardiac death. For instance, research has shown that among the cardiovascular diseases, OSA increases the risk of heart failure by 140%, the risk of stroke by 60%, and the risk of coronary heart disease by 30% 3. 
OSA’s Influence on Immune Health
Recent research is shedding light on how OSA affects the immune system, an area that has gained attention due to the crucial role sleep plays in immune function. The mortality rates of sepsis patients with and without sleep apnea were 60.1% and 47.9%, respectively 4. Additionally, Canadian Medical Association Journal shows that patients with sleep apnea experienced a 1.20-fold increase in incident pneumonia. Sleep apnea appeared to confer a higher risk for future pneumonia, possibly in a severity-dependent manner 5. 
Implications for Treatment and Prevention
Given OSA's multifaceted implications, individuals experiencing symptoms such as snoring coupled with daytime fatigue should seek evaluation from sleep specialists promptly. Early diagnosis and appropriate interventions, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for severe cases, can significantly improve outcomes and reduce the risk of associated complications like pneumonia. American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) strongly recommends positive airway pressure for treating OSA in adult patients.

 "iX series ": Solution for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). 
It provides the following benefits for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) treatment: 
  1. Automate sleep therapy: Automatic breathing detection triggers the release of positive pressure immediately after detecting the user's expiration and switches the device to standby mode after brief inactivity, simplifying the therapy process across all levels of users.
  2. Digital, Global, and Personal: Patients can use SleepWell (app) to self-assess therapy effectiveness, while healthcare professionals can utilize SleepWell Track (web) to detect problematic patients and intervene early.
  3. Pack-n-Go Sleep Companion: Travel without the water chamber and switch to regular air tubing for a more straightforward setup, ensuring access to high-quality sleep while travelling small and lightweight. 
If want to know about iX series 
Explore the Impact of Sleep apnea solutions on your hospital



Reference：
  1. Young T, Finn L, Peppard PE, Szklo-Coxe M, Austin D, Nieto FJ, Stubbs R, Hla KM. Sleep disordered breathing and mortality: eighteen-year follow-up of the Wisconsin sleep cohort. Sleep. 2008 Aug;31(8):1071-8. PMID: 18714778; PMCID: PMC2542952. 
  2. Azagra-Calero E, Espinar-Escalona E, Barrera-Mora JM, Llamas-Carreras JM, Solano-Reina E. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS): review of the literature. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. (2012) 17:E925–9. 10.4317/medoral.17706
  3. Mitra AK, Bhuiyan AR, Jones EA. Association and Risk Factors for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review. Diseases. 2021 Dec 2;9(4):88. doi: 10.3390/diseases9040088. PMID: 34940026; PMCID: PMC8700568.
  4. Huang CY, Chen YT, Wu LA, Liu CJ, Chang SC, Perng DW, Chen YM, Chen TJ, Lee YC, Chou KT. Sleep apnoea patients have higher mortality when confronting sepsis. Eur J Clin Invest. 2014 Jan;44(1):38-45. doi: 10.1111/eci.12187. Epub 2013 Nov 11. PMID: 24117403.
  5. Su VY, Liu CJ, Wang HK, Wu LA, Chang SC, Perng DW, Su WJ, Chen YM, Lin EY, Chen TJ, Chou KT. Sleep apnea and risk of pneumonia: a nationwide population-based study. CMAJ. 2014 Apr 1;186(6):415-21. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.131547. Epub 2014 Mar 3. Erratum in: CMAJ. 2014 Oct 7;186(14):1092. PMID: 24591276; PMCID: PMC3971026.