Risk of early death rises 46% with sleep apnoea

SLEEP APNOEA isn’t just frustrating for those unfortunate enough to suffer from the condition, it could also shorten their lives, according to new research.

An ongoing study in the US has found that the disorder, in which people periodically stop breathing while asleep, raises the chances of dying early by as much as 46 per cent.

The Irish Sleep Apnoea Trust estimates that up to 12,000 people in the Republic have a severe version of the disorder, with some sufferers awakening more than 30 times an hour. Among those who have suffered from the condition is Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

The latest study, which was undertaken by lung experts at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore and at six other medical centres in the US, confirms that nightly bouts of interrupted, oxygen-deprived sleep takes its toll on those who suffer from it.

Researchers measured the sleep and breathing patterns of more than 6,400 men and women aged 40-70 years and followed them for the next eight years. They found that those aged over 40 whose breathing and sleep were disrupted most often were 46 per cent more likely to die earlier than those who slept normally.

The study shows that even in people with moderate forms of the sleeping disorder, with anywhere from 15-30 episodes of interrupted breathing during each hour of supposed rest, risk of death is increased by 17 per cent. However, it concludes that people with milder sleep-disordered breathing do not have a statistically significant increased risk of dying.

The research also reveals that men with sleep apnoea of 40-70 years of age are particularly at risk of death from any source, but especially from cardiovascular disease.

Experiencing just 11 minutes of severe sleep apnoea – during which blood oxygen levels dip to below 90 per cent of normal – appears to roughly double the risk of death among men.

The disorder is caused by a collapse of the upper airway during sleep. Many of those who suffer from sleep apnoea are unaware of it and it is usually their bed partner who draws their attention to it. Symptoms include loud snoring, fatigue and sleepiness during the day.

“As well as health issues, sleep apnoea can cause a number of other problems, most notably marital disharmony,” said Richard Hawksworth, a respiratory physiologist in Tallaght Hospital’s sleep laboratory. “Research has also found sleep apnoea to be a factor in road deaths with drivers having fallen asleep at the wheel.”

A range of overnight sleeping aids, such as the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device, can help alleviate the condition.