Sleep apnea common among patients undergoing heart procedure.
Illustration of obstruction of ventilation. Credit: Habib M’henni / public domain Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a coronary artery widening procedure used to treat heart disease, are at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to new research presented at the 2015 American Thoracic Society International Conference. “Our findings, in a large, multicenter sample of patients, reinforce the known association between OSA and cardiovascular disease,” said researcher Luciano Drager, MD, PhD, of the University of São Paulo School of Medicine in Brazil. “Nearly half of the patients in our study, who were treated with PCI for either myocardial …
Does Mom’s Cellphone Startle the Fetus?
Notes from Dr. Norman Blumenstock: The sounds emitted by cellphones carried by pregnant women may rattle the sleep-and-wake cycles of their fetuses, new research suggests. By Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter Ringing cell phones may startle babies in the womb, new study finds. WEDNESDAY, May 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The sounds emitted by cellphones carried by pregnant women may rattle the sleep-and-wake cycles of their fetuses, new research suggests. The finding is based on a small study that tracked fetal reactions to repetitive cellphone and beeper use among more than two dozen resident physicians while they were pregnant. “We wanted …
Spring has sprung and pollen is in the air.
U-T San Diego 06:00a.m. Apr 29, 2015 After a long winter that left much of the country under many inches of snow, spring is in full swing. While the warmer weather is a relief for many people, some people suffer from allergy-inducing pollen. An estimated 1 in 5 Americans suffer from allergies that come with symptoms such as itchy eyes, swollen eyelids, and watery and red eyes. The most common culprit is pollen, or microscopic particles that are released into the air by trees, grass and weeds. “When exposed to these allergens, cells in the eyes release histamines and other …
Dental Clinicians’ Observations of Combination Therapy in PAP Intolerant Patients
Based on the experiences of four highly experienced dental sleep practices, this pilot study sought to determine whether combination therapy, in which a PAP interface and mandibular advancement splint are physically connected, may provide a more acceptable therapeutic modality in obstructive sleep apnea patients who have abandoned conventional PAP therapy. By Anne E. Sanders, MS, PhD, MS; Martin A. Denbar, DDS, DABDSM; John White, DDS, DABDSM; Ronald S. Prehn, ThM, DDS, DABDSM; Robert R. Rogers III, DMD, DABDSM; Thomas Pardue, BA; Max Schweizer, BS; and Greg K. Essick, DDS, PhD Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) attribute their poor tolerance of …
Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence Lower with CPAP.
Published on April 20, 2015 CPAP use was associated with a significant reduction in the recurrence of atrial fibrillation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to an analysis of data from past research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Clinical Electrophysiology. Researchers from the New York University Langone Medical Center in New York City performed a meta-analysis of seven studies including 1,087 patients to determine if CPAP reduced the recurrence of atrial fibrillation in patients with OSA. The analysis found that CPAP use was associated with a 42% relative risk reduction in atrial fibrillation …
Woman removed from plane for ‘stabbing’ snoring man with pen at Chicago airport
Lenny Madarski, 68, said it felt like being stung by bees. Photo: Michael Sutton LIZZIE DEARDEN / Saturday 18 April 2015 A plane was unable to take off in the US on Thursday when a man claimed he had been “stabbed” with a pen by a fellow passenger angry at his snoring. The Southwest Airlines flight from Chicago Midway airport to Manchester, New Hampshire, eventually left two hours later after the woman was removed. Footage from the plane showed it returning to departure gate, where several police officers boarded and fire engines and ambulances gathered outside. Lenny Madarski, 68, told ABC 7 …
In Resistant Hypertension, Sleep Apnea Results in Greater Blood Pressure and Treatment Lowers It.
Published on April 6, 2015 A new meta-analysis published in the Journal of Hypertension suggests that untreated sleep apnea may be a major factor in why medications appear to be less effective in reducing high blood pressure in some people. Further, the study shows that CPAP therapy may be the key to helping those with difficult to treat hypertension get their blood pressure under control. As many as 10 million people in the United States have “resistant hypertension” which either doesn’t respond to or requires multi-drug therapy. Most people with resistant hypertension also have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It’s a …
Kids Sleep Doctor: App That Improves Your Kid’s Sleep Better Than A Doctor
By Nida I Zamir on April 6, 2015 So parents are about to sigh with relief as a free app to improve children’s sleep has been launched by doctors at the Evelina Children’s Hospital in London. The app, Kids Sleep Doctor, gives parents custom advice, based on the sleeping patterns of their children, like night terrors or teens staying up all night long. Paul Gringras, a professor of children’s sleep medicine at the hospital, said that the doctors only skim through a patient, seeing “only the tip of the iceberg” due to the “massive” waiting lists. That is why the hospital decided …
Sleep Apnea May Reduce Antidepressant Response, Increase Dementia Risk
Published on April 7, 2015 Studies suggest sleep apnea may have a strong influence on antidepressant response and increase the risk for mild cognitive impairment in older patients with major depressive disorder, reports Medscape. “This shows that clinicians should definitely screen for sleep apnea when patients are presenting with late-life depression,” lead author Lauren Waterman, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania, told Medscape Medical News. …
Can Orange Glasses Help You Sleep Better?
By KATE GALBRAITH / APRIL 6, 2015 Most evenings, before watching late-night comedy or reading emails on his phone, Matt Nicoletti puts on a pair of orange-colored glasses that he bought for $8 off the Internet. “My girlfriend thinks I look ridiculous in them,” he said. But Mr. Nicoletti, a 30-year-old hospitality consultant in Denver, insists that the glasses, which can block certain wavelengths of light emitted by electronic screens, make it easier to sleep. Studies have shown that such light, especially from the blue part of the spectrum, inhibits the body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that helps people fall asleep. Options …
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