Asthma Patients Have Greater Risk for Developing Sleep Apnea

An eight-year sleep study has revealed that asthma sufferers are significantly more likely to develop sleep apnea over time than those who do not have the breathing disorder. According to MedPage Today, the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study found that people with asthma had a 72 percent higher likelihood of developing sleep apnea over an eight-year period than those without asthma. Put another way, for every five years a participant suffered from asthma, their likelihood of developing sleep apnea increased by 12 percent. At the beginning of the study, 41 percent of the participants with asthma reported having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), while 29 percent of the participants without asthma suffered from OSA.

The Connection Between Asthma & Sleep Apnea

Researchers also found that the longer a person had suffered from asthma, the greater the chance they had of developing obstructive sleep apnea. Individuals with child onset asthma had the highest rate of developing sleep apnea during their lives. "There has been a body of evidence published suggesting that there is a relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and asthma," said Dr. Mihaela Teodorescu, a sleep disorder researcher at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where the sleep study took place. "Each disorder makes the other worse, so understanding what starts this vicious cycle is very important. We asked the question of whether asthma promotes the development of obstructive sleep apnea." Teodorescu also said that while it is increasingly likely that asthma and sleep apnea are linked, further study needs to done in order to determine how the two disorders affect each other. Once the relationship is clearer, scientists may be able to make advances in diagnosing and treating these paired diseases. The Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study has followed 1,483 people since 1988. Of the group, 205 self-reported a history of having asthma. Each participant is interviewed and answers a detailed questionnaire every four years. Asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway, affects up to 300 million people around the world. it causes a number of serious complications, including difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Asthma is often worse at night and can be aggravated or triggered by environmental factors.

Surgical Solutions for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

At Surgical Sleep Solutions, we are committed to helping OSA patients find effective, affordable, and convenient treatments for sleep apnea. To learn more about our unique treatment model and surgical procedure, bimaxillary advancement, please call our center today at (855) 560-7378.