An Equal Opportunity Disorder-Sleep Apnea Awareness Day is Thursday, March 8
Focus is on Serious Sleep Disorder Affecting Men, Women and Children During National Sleep Awareness Week 2007.
Washington, DC, January 29, 2007 --(PR.com)-- The American Sleep Apnea Association announced that Sleep Apnea Awareness Day, a day devoted to raising awareness about the symptoms of sleep apnea and the importance of treatment, will take place March 8, during National Sleep Awareness Week 2007.
“Sleep Apnea: An Equal Opportunity Disorder,” is the newest theme created to debunk the myth that older, overweight men are the only people that are affected by sleep apnea; this medical disorder also affects younger men as well as women and children of all ages, races, and weight.
A possible promotional advertisement for Sleep Apnea Awareness Day is also in the works, featuring a woman sporting a CPAP mask with the “Sleep Apnea: An Equal Opportunity Disorder” caption, with the purpose of the ads carrying the message that the medical disorder can affect anyone of any age or gender.
Sleep apnea occurs about twice as often in men, and risk increases with age, usually after age 40; however, women with the condition are less often diagnosed than men, especially if they have mild or early stage sleep apnea.
People who are overweight are also at greater risk, and though there's been talk about whether obesity causes apnea, scientific studies have yet to prove this as a definite theory.
Genetics, facial and skull structure, and menopause have also been shown to be high risk factors for sleep apnea.
It is estimated that about 18 million people have sleep apnea, but suffer needlessly from this common and potentially life-threatening disorder because they usually have no knowledge that they have the problem and therefore, do not seek treatment until another, more serious, condition arises.
Once diagnosed, different treatment options exist for sleep disordered breathing problems, from non-invasive procedures such as PAP (Positive Airway Pressure) devices or oral appliances designed to keep the throat open, to surgical options, such as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP, involving the removal of tissue from the rear of the mouth and top of the throat, as well as the tonsils and adenoids), but surgical procedures usually are not necessary.
Common symptoms include snoring, daytime sleepiness, weight gain, and un-refreshing sleep. It has also been associated with hypertension, strokes automobile accidents, mood and memory problems, heart disease, and in some cases, brain damage and death.
For more information on sleep apnea, visit www.sleepapnea.org.
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“Sleep Apnea: An Equal Opportunity Disorder,” is the newest theme created to debunk the myth that older, overweight men are the only people that are affected by sleep apnea; this medical disorder also affects younger men as well as women and children of all ages, races, and weight.
A possible promotional advertisement for Sleep Apnea Awareness Day is also in the works, featuring a woman sporting a CPAP mask with the “Sleep Apnea: An Equal Opportunity Disorder” caption, with the purpose of the ads carrying the message that the medical disorder can affect anyone of any age or gender.
Sleep apnea occurs about twice as often in men, and risk increases with age, usually after age 40; however, women with the condition are less often diagnosed than men, especially if they have mild or early stage sleep apnea.
People who are overweight are also at greater risk, and though there's been talk about whether obesity causes apnea, scientific studies have yet to prove this as a definite theory.
Genetics, facial and skull structure, and menopause have also been shown to be high risk factors for sleep apnea.
It is estimated that about 18 million people have sleep apnea, but suffer needlessly from this common and potentially life-threatening disorder because they usually have no knowledge that they have the problem and therefore, do not seek treatment until another, more serious, condition arises.
Once diagnosed, different treatment options exist for sleep disordered breathing problems, from non-invasive procedures such as PAP (Positive Airway Pressure) devices or oral appliances designed to keep the throat open, to surgical options, such as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP, involving the removal of tissue from the rear of the mouth and top of the throat, as well as the tonsils and adenoids), but surgical procedures usually are not necessary.
Common symptoms include snoring, daytime sleepiness, weight gain, and un-refreshing sleep. It has also been associated with hypertension, strokes automobile accidents, mood and memory problems, heart disease, and in some cases, brain damage and death.
For more information on sleep apnea, visit www.sleepapnea.org.
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Contact
American Sleep Apnea Association
L. Anne Carrington
412-927-3182
www.sleepapnea.org
L. Anne Carrington
412-927-3182
www.sleepapnea.org
Contact
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