Sleep apnea is recognized as an accompanying disease, therefore, it can be brought along by another disease or invite another one in. There’s a lot of things I will tell you about and it’s the dangers of sleep apnea.
So, does sleep apnea show up on autopsy? Yes, sleep apnea actually does show up on autopsy reports.
An incident some time ago, a Stars Wars movie actress named Carrie Fisher passed away and revealed sleep apnea as one of the cause of death along with some drug usage.
It is completely possible to die from sleep apnea and that is because it mostly messes with our breathing that affects our heart and brain.
Nearly 40,000 people die yearly from diseases complicated by sleep apnea and the said illness does appear on autopsy reports since death can happen so suddenly, people may have no idea they even had sleep apnea.
An estimated 22 million people suffer from sleep apnea and it’s possible that there are even more who do but are not aware of it.
Sleeping conditions is not a widely known topic since the focus is usually on its accompanying illness which is usually about heart diseases. But the thing is, sleep apnea worsens those illnesses.
In fact, they worsen each other as time passes.
Untreated sleep apnea can definitely lead to sudden deaths and autopsy reports are often focused on other illnesses and tend to overlook the risk of sleep apnea.
People die in their sleep and thought sleep apnea was normal.
It isn’t, it’s a common illness that may turn critical at any moment. Let’s not wait to find out about having sleep apnea on autopsy reports, we must do what we can right now to avoid it or cure it.
There are many factors that can cause or worsen sleep apnea. One of them is drug usage and having an existing heart condition which is what the actress Carrie Fisher had.
Knowing that sleep apnea is not as simple as it seems, it actually sounds scary. You don’t know what’s going on as you sleep but still, you must read on to learn more about sleep apnea and to understand its risks.
How sleep apnea can cause death and show up on autopsy
To help you learn how sleep apnea kills people, we listed the risks it can bring to people if left untreated.
- Heart failure
- May lead to fatal conditions such as brain damages or even death
- Heart attack
- Can also be severely life-threatening
- Irregular heartbeat
- Worsens the ability to breathe
- Can trigger anxiety
- Can lead to other heart diseases
- Stroke
- Can leave permanent damage
- May lead to paralysis
- Can cause death
- Depression
- Not an easy condition to treat
- Can lead to self-harming
- Diabetes
- Leaves you prone to more heart attacks
- High Blood Pressure
- Aside from your physical health, this can also affect your mental health and relationship with people around you including your work
- Can lead to other life-threatening conditions
- Increases ADHD
- Sleep apnea reduces your ability to focus which is what happens when you have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
- Having a lack of control to focus can lead to frustration and risk of other danger
- Headaches
- You may wake up with a bad headache which will lead to other problems listed here
- Can lead to brain problems
- Lack of daily energy
- As mentioned, your energy will be reduced since you are unable to sleep well.
- Seizures
- Sleep apnea patients are more prone to seizures during sleep compared to epilepsy patients without sleep apnea.
How to treat sleep apnea and avoid death
The best thing you can do if you have sleep apnea or know someone diagnosed with it is to get it treated as soon as possible. Letting the illness develop can worsen its accompanying diseases which can lead to death.
Sleep apnea treatments usually involve surgeries but can be different depending on what causes it. Check out this list of existing treatments commonly being performed for sleep apnea patients.
- Rapid Maxillary Expansion
- For children with obstructive sleep apnea. This process places an expandable brace on the roof of the mouth that increases the width of the upper jaw (maxilla).
- Over time, parents can adjust the brace using a special key to increase the amount of pressure for the teeth.
- Jaw Advancement Surgery
- For teenagers and adults. This process will surgically break the jaw bones, moved forward and then fixed properly with screws and plates and will change the person’s facial structure or profile.
- It might take months to recover.
- CPAP Machine Treatment
- Works for any age. Stands for “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device”
- The person diagnosed will have to use a mask connected to a machine that will force air to the obstructed airway from the oropharyngeal.
- The mask placed over the mouth or nose will blow air into the airway to help keep it open during sleep. Highly recommended and proven effective by a majority of sleep apnea patient.
- Surgical Airway Advancement
- Similar to the 2nd example. Bones of the upper and lower jaw will be repositioned in a way that will relieve airway obstruction.
Consult a healthcare professional to determine what is the best procedure that can be done for your sleep apnea. You won’t feel sick with sleep apnea anymore after undergoing treatments. You can sleep well!
What are the signs of sleep apnea?
To avoid risking the possibility of death from sleep apnea, the first step is learning about the signs. Again, it’s best to find out a condition you have sooner than later.
One of the most common ways to identify sleep apnea is by conducting a “sleep study” wherein the patient will have to stay in a center where doctors and nurses would be observing their sleeping habits.
Not only the sleeping behavior but other factors that could be a sign of sleep apnea as well. Here’s a list of sleep apnea signs to watch out for if you are not ready to go for a sleep study yet.
- Heavy snoring
- Maybe, it can be a sign of fatigue but snoring loudly and usually can be a sign of sleep apnea.
- Gasping for air during sleep
- The feeling of drowning without knowing it and suddenly you’re out of air.
- Insomnia
- Having trouble going to sleep because you have breathing problems that you may not notice
- This is also why we feel sick later on, the lack of sleep means lack of energy.
- Hypersomnia
- Having trouble staying awake in the morning because you were unable to sleep well due to your sleep apnea.
- Waking up with a headache
- Sleep apnea can disturb your body’s “charging” state. Since you can’t sleep well, your body will use energy for means that can help you breathe which may lead to headaches.
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- With sleep apnea, the person tends to snore and keep their mouth open when gasping for air which leads to a dried up mouth once we awaken.
- Decreased ability to focus
- Sleep apnea can give lack of sleep which will also result in difficulty to focus on anything
- Feeling uncomfortable
- Your lack of energy due to sleep apnea can make you feel uncomfortable and irritable without your knowledge
- Suddenly stop breathing during sleep
- Your housemates should notice this and tell you about it. Sleep apnea can disrupt breathing that may last for up to 10 seconds which is already risky.
There are three types of sleep apnea that you may be diagnosed with.
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- The most common sleep apnea that can be present in all ages. When the breathing is obstructed due to various factors, is it because of obstructive sleep apnea which may require surgery
- Central sleep apnea
- When your brain fails to send the proper signals to your body to command it to “breathe” it is because of central sleep apnea
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome
- This is the combination of the first two sleep apneas and also poses higher risks than a normal obstructed sleep apnea.
- It may also be more difficult to treat this not knowing the major cause of the condition
If you suspect that you may have sleep apnea, immediately consult a professional so you can also avoid doing what may potentially worsen your sleep apnea and cure it as soon as possible too.
Related Questions
- What can cause sudden death in sleep?
Obstructive sleep apnea is one of those sleeping conditions that can cause sudden death in sleep since it can lead to heart attacks, heart failure, heart arrhythmias and, strokes.
- Does taking medicines before sleeping worsen sleep apnea?
Yes, medicines, drugs or sedatives that can cause the muscles to relax will definitely worsen sleep apnea and may result in other conditions that can be fatal.
- Can heart attacks kill instantly?
Yes, heart attacks can kill instantly, but not always.
Heart attacks do not always kill instantly. A person who has survived a heart attack may take a few days to recover or may be left with paralysis that can be temporary or permanent.
Sometimes, it may lead to other health conditions.
