Obstructive Sleep Apnea Affects 50% Of Women

Date: Sep-10-2012Half of all women aged 20 to 70 years experience obstructive sleep apnea, with 20% having moderate and 6% severe symptoms, Swedish scientists reported in the European Respiratory Journal.

Studies have shown that obstructive sleep apnea is largely undiagnosed. Large corporations could save millions in lost productivity if more people were screened and treated for the sleep disorder.

The authors, from Umea University and Uppsala University, both in Sweden, explained that sleep apnea has been seen as a disorder that was thought to mainly affect men. Their study has shown that the sleep disorder is common in both sexes.

Dr. Karl Franklin and team set out to find out how prevalent sleep apnea is among women and how often symptoms occur. Out of a population-based random sample of 10,000 women between the ages of 20 and 70 years, they gathered data on 400 of them. The participants were given questionnaires which included several questions regarding their sleeping habits and sleep quality. They also underwent overnight polysomnography.
Obstructive sleep apnea is very common among women
Below is some highlighted data from their findings:
50% of the women had obstructive sleep apnea

There was a link between sleep apnea occurrence and the women's blood pressure, body weight and age. The older, fatter and more hypertensive they were, the more likely they were to suffer from the sleep disorder.

There was no link between daytime sleepiness and sleep apnea risk

A apnea-hypopnea index of 30 or more (severe symptoms) affected 14% of the participants aged 55 or more

31% of the women who were obese and at least 50 years of age had severe sleep apnea

Sleep apnea with high blood pressure and sleep apnea with daytime sleepiness were seen as two distinct phenotypes of obstructive sleep apnea.

The authors concluded:

"Obstructive sleep apnea occurs in 50% of females aged 20-70 years. 20% of females have moderate, and 6% severe sleep apnea. Sleep apnoea in females is related to age, obesity and hypertension but not to daytime sleepiness. When searching for sleep apnea in females, females with hypertension or obesity should be investigated."
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (UK: apnoea), also known as OSA, is a sleep disorder in which the sufferer stops breathing during sleep for at least ten seconds.

If the throat muscles relax too much during sleep, the soft tissue at the back of the throat may collapse and close; this can block the airways.

An episode of no breathing is called an apnea. Apnea means "without breath".

During an apnea, the patient may suddenly grunt or gasp, wake up for a couple of seconds, and then go straight back to sleep. Most sufferers rarely know that they had an episode of no breathing. Bed partners, siblings who share the same bedrooms, or others who sleep in the same dormitory will usually notice if the sleeper suddenly stops breathing.

There are various types of sleep apnea; obstructive sleep apnea is the most common. The majority of affected people snore, but not all of them.

In some cases, the airway may only be partially blocked, and breathing may become shallow and slow (hypopnea).

The occasional apnea during sleep may affect all of us. However, those with obstructive sleep apnea have several episodes when breathing stops in one night. For a diagnosis of OSA to be made, there need to be at least 5 apneas per hour. Patients with severe symptoms may have hundreds of breathing stops in one sleeping session.

Although most patients are not aware of their sleep disorder, if they temporarily wake up several times during the night, sleep may not be restful, and they are likely to feel drowsy during the day.

The risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea is higher among people..:
who are obese
who are regular alcohol drinkers, especially heavy drinkers
who are regular smokers
with a family history of obstructive sleep apnea
with an inner jaw that is set back further than normal
with diabetes - obstructive sleep apnea is independently linked to diabetic peripheral neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a recent study.
with enlarged adenoids or tonsils
with fat necks
with hypertension (high blood pressure)
with recurrent nasal congestions
with Down syndrome
who have undergone some surgical interventions

A recent study found that people with sleep apnea may have a higher risk of dying from cancer.

The video below, from Harvard Medical School, is one in a series that explains the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea.

Written by Christian Nordqvist

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