Now, I don’t know why this surprises me as much as it does. After all, sleep apnea leads to a whole lot of medical issues. Heart problems, lung problems, high blood pressure…. sleep apnea is Bad Stuff. But I am totally and completely freaked out to find out that sleep apnea can lead to brain damage:
‘The findings make it all the more imperative that OSA be treated as soon as possible to prevent further injury,’ said Harper. ‘The long-term effects of OSA are terribly damaging to memory and thinking processes. Moreover, control of blood pressure is heavily impacted by the breathing condition, and if multiple areas, each connected with one another, are affected, regulation of blood pressure will be all the more difficult if OSA continues.’ (via Medical News Today)
All I can say is: HOLY CRAP!!!
2 replies on “Holy crap! Sleep Apena causes brain damage!”
Don’t be too freaked out, just try to get your apnea under control as soon as possible.
Here’s a link to some info on brain injury, the damage caused by sleep apnea would fall under hypoxic or anoxic injury.
http://www.brainandspinalcord.org/traumatic-brain-injury-types/index.html
Learn more about obstructive sleep apnea along with treatment options at http://www.itonsil.com