Loud Snoring, Weight Gain Linked to Sleep Apnea, Doctors Warn of Sudden Death Risk

Khaosod•Society•266d ago

Reader Briefing

Doctors warn that loud snoring and weight gain are symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a condition that significantly increases the risk of sudden death, especially during winter.

•A 50-year-old male patient named Mr. Zhou experienced severe snoring, daytime fatigue, significant weight gain, and difficulty controlling blood pressure, leading to a diagnosis of severe sleep apnea.
•Doctors emphasize that over 80% of snoring patients have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which causes intermittent oxygen deprivation, leading to cardiovascular stress and higher risks of heart attack and stroke.
•The winter season exacerbates these risks due to cold-induced vasoconstriction, placing a greater burden on the heart.
•OSA also disrupts hormones related to appetite and satiety, making weight loss difficult and creating a vicious cycle of obesity and worsened sleep apnea.
•Effective treatment combining interventions like surgery, medication, and CPAP machines can balance hormones, improve appetite control, stabilize blood pressure, and lead to weight loss, significantly improving quality of life and cardiovascular health.

Overview

•Loud snoring, significant weight gain (10 kg), daytime fatigue, and difficulty controlling blood pressure are identified as symptoms potentially linked to sleep apnea.
•Over 80% of patients with snoring issues are diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), characterized by repeated airway obstruction during sleep.
•Intermittent oxygen deprivation during sleep triggers sympathetic nervous system activation, causing rapid heart rate and severe vasoconstriction, leading to sharp increases in blood pressure.
•Winter is identified as a period with a significantly higher risk of sudden death, which is worsened by the combined effects of cold-induced vasoconstriction and nocturnal oxygen deprivation from sleep apnea.
•Long-term OSA can lead to damaged arterial walls, increased risk of arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, and stroke, particularly if only blood pressure is treated without addressing the underlying sleep apnea.
•Sleep apnea disrupts hormones like leptin (reducing satiety signals) and ghrelin (increasing appetite), particularly for high-energy and sugary foods, contributing to weight gain.
•Mr. Zhou received combined treatment including minor surgery, weight-loss medication, and positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, resulting in hormonal balance, reduced cravings, stable blood pressure, and weight loss.
•Doctors state that sleep apnea is not an incurable condition and serious, proactive treatment can restore physical function, body shape, and quality of life, while protecting cardiovascular health.

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Key Quotes

Dr. Chen Poh Yue

"More than 80% of patients presenting with snoring problems are diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea."

ผู้ป่วยที่มาพบแพทย์ด้วยปัญหากรน เมื่อตรวจพบว่ามากกว่า 80% เป็นภาวะหยุดหายใจขณะหลับชนิดอุดกั้น

Dr. Chen Poh Yue

"Winter is a period when sudden deaths occur frequently."

ฤดูหนาวเป็นช่วงที่การเสียชีวิตเฉียบพลันเกิดบ่อย

Dr. Chen Poh Yue

"Treating only with blood pressure medication without addressing sleep apnea is treating the symptom, not the cause."

หากรักษาเพียงด้วยยาลดความดันโดยไม่แก้ไขภาวะหยุดหายใจขณะหลับเท่ากับรักษาที่ปลายเหตุ

Dr. Chen Poh Yue

"Sleep apnea is also a 'key factor in making weight loss difficult'."

ภาวะหยุดหายใจขณะหลับยังเป็น “ตัวการทำให้น้ำหนักลดได้ยาก”

Dr. Chen Poh Yue

"The fatter you get, the more you snore; the more you snore, the fatter you get."

ยิ่งอ้วนยิ่งกรน ยิ่งกรนยิ่งอ้วน

Dr. Chen Poh Yue

"This condition is not incurable; if faced and treated seriously."

ภาวะนี้ไม่ใช่โรคที่แก้ไขไม่ได้ หากเผชิญหน้าและรักษาอย่างจริงจัง

Key Entities

Person

Mr. Zhou(นายโจว)

A 50-year-old patient who suffered from loud snoring, weight gain, and high blood pressure, diagnosed with severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Dr. Chen Poh Yue(นพ.เฉิน ป๋อเยว่)

Director of the Ear, Nose, and Throat Department at Wan Fang Hospital, who provided expert medical analysis on sleep apnea.

Organization

Wan Fang Hospital(โรงพยาบาลว่านฟาง)

The hospital where Dr. Chen Poh Yue works and where Mr. Zhou received medical treatment for sleep apnea.

Condition

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)(ภาวะหยุดหายใจขณะหลับชนิดอุดกั้น (Obstructive Sleep Apnea: OSA))ℹ️

A medical condition characterized by repeated airway obstruction during sleep, leading to intermittent oxygen deprivation and various health risks.