Saudi researchers presented yesterday in Jeddah the results of the latest study on the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in Saudi society, the first of its kind in the Middle East. Professor Siraj Omar Wali, Director of the Sleep Medicine and Research Center at King Abdulaziz Hospital in Jeddah, the principal investigator in the scientific study, and Dr. Ayman Badr Karim, Consultant of Chest Diseases and Sleep Disorders at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah, President of Jeddah Sleep Medicine Club presented the results at a seminar organized by the Club Jeddah Sleeping Medicine, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Madinah Road, Jeddah.
A recent Saudi study
And about the prevalence of sleep apnea in Saudi Arabia, the study conducted by the Sleep Medicine and Research Center at King Abdulaziz Hospital in Jeddah indicates a large sample of individuals in the city of Jeddah, under the supervision of Professor Dr. Siraj Omar Wali, the director of the center, and was published in the number of April (April) The current periodical for the journal Annals of Thoracic Medicine showed that about 9 percent of the sample of more than 2,600 patients (30 to 60 years old) experienced sleep apnea, as the incidence in men reached ( 12%) and about (5%) in women, especially with other chronic diseases and increased symptoms Sleepiness during the day, by conducting a careful medical evaluation of the group of sleep-throttle risk factors. The disease was also proven by conducting a laboratory study of sleep in the sleep medicine and research center of the university hospital or in the patient''s home by a mobile technical device, where the study also showed that chronic snoring - the main manifestation of sleep apnea - is a common symptom between men and women. (About 24% and 17%, respectively), and the results of the study showed that aging, high blood pressure and diabetes are among the independent risk factors for sleep apnea.
Many suffer from what is known medically as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome during sleep, and it is one of the most prevalent sleep disorders, but, unlike many chronic diseases, it is not recognized until after a long time that may often reach (8) Years of suffering in the form of chronic snoring, poor intermittent sleep, complications from high blood pressure, drowsiness, and fatigue during the day.
And sleep suffocation syndrome - biologically - are frequent episodes of obstruction of the upper airway that occur during sleep, which leads to a partial or complete discontinuation of airflow and a decrease in the rate of oxygenation in the blood, which usually leads to repeated stimulation during the night.
According to proven studies, about (4 percent) of men and (two percent) of middle-aged women suffer from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in the United States, and the rate of infection in general reaches (5 percent) in civil societies and increases The chance of developing it with certain risk factors, such as obesity and old age, high blood pressure, diabetes and others.
Causes and symptoms
Obesity is among the most important components of the risk of breathing disorders during sleep, with approximately 60 per cent of men with excessive weight interrupting sleep apnea to varying degrees. Excess weight usually leads to the accumulation of fat around the neck, which leads to narrowing of the upper airway and sagging tissues and muscles of the pharynx and thus obstructing breathing during sleep. The incidence of hypothyroidism and less secretion of the hormone «thyroxin» in women more than men, which usually leads to weight gain and laziness of the pharynx muscles, and this is among the reasons that must be observed and treated before controlling the symptoms of breathing disorders during sleep in women. As for measuring the circumference of the neck, the size (17 inches) for men and (16 inches) for women is considered a scientific boundary, after which the risk of sleep apnea increases. The symptoms are obviously high snoring, choking attacks, restlessness during sleep, headache and excessive lethargy when getting up in the morning. It is important to note that obstructive sleep apnea can appear as symptoms that are not necessarily indicative of the disease and include increased feelings of drowsiness or fatigue during the day, irritable even depression and sexual dysfunction.
Complications
Sleep disturbances negatively affect the functions of the organs, including the heart and blood vessels. Several proven medical studies have proven that obstructive sleep apnea is a primary and independent risk component that can lead to high blood pressure and difficulty controlling it. In the long term, this disease is also associated with decreased blood circulation of the coronary arteries, as well as decreased heart muscle and heartbeat. There is evidence to indicate its association with brain stroke and its effect on the hormone insulin, which increases the risk of developing diabetes, especially among people with extra weight.
As for the marital relationship, some studies have confirmed that wives who suffer from snoring their husbands are more likely to suffer from chronic insomnia, headache and drowsiness during the day, than other wives who are associated with husbands without snoring. It must be noted that obstructive sleep apnea is considered one of the hidden causes of impotence in men and the desire to gradually lead a normal life is lost, which causes many problems between spouses.
Diagnosis and treatment
In order to arrive at an accurate diagnosis, the patient needs to undergo a laboratory study of sleep to monitor the disturbances in his breath, where the drawing of brain activity is recorded, and the monitoring of snoring and the observation of breathing movement and follow-up of air flow and repeated interruption by sensors placed near the nose, as well as recording a proportion Blood oxygen by pulse throughout the hours of sleep. A must
