Risk Factors with Sleep Apnea
Continuing with the same theme, sleep disorders. Below is a discussion of the risk factors. This is such an important topic and affects many more than one can even imagine. If you have concerns please make sure to address them.
Gender. More men than women appear to have sleep apnea. In the U.S., about 4% of men and 2% of women between the ages of 30 – 60 meet the criteria for obstructive sleep apnea. Such people have at lease five episodes of apnea or hypopnea (shallow nighttime breathing) for each hour of sleep plus excessive daytime sleepiness. A much higher percentage has just one of these two conditions.
Sleep apnea actually may be underdiagnosed in women, particularly older women. In general, older women have the same incidence of sleep apnea as men their own age. It is not clear why apnea occurs more often in men than women before menopause and why prevalence equalizes after menopause. Men tend to have larger necks and to weigh more than women and women tend to gain weight and develop larger necks after menopause. However, studies have not found that these physical factors fully explain the differences in risk by gender in young adults or the increase in sleep apnea in postmenopausal women.
Age. Sleep apnea is most common and its symptoms are worse in middle-aged adults between 40 and 60 years old. Nevertheless, it affects people of all ages, including a small percentage of children.
Ethnicity. African Americans face a higher risk for sleep apnea than any other ethnic group in the United States. Other groups at increased risk include Pacific Islanders and Mexicans.
Being Obese
Obesity, especially having fat around the abdomen (the so-called apple shape), is a particular risk factor for sleep apnea, even in adolescents and children. However, many people with sleep-related breathing disorders, particularly women and small children, are not obese. Also, not all people who are obese have sleep apnea. Specific anatomical and physiological properties in the airways are more likely to be present in obese individuals with apnea.
Physical Characteristics
Having a Larger Neck. Having a large neck is a risk factor for sleep apnea. In fact, larger necks in men may be the primary reason for their higher risk for sleep apnea compared to women. A neck measurement of 17 inches or greater in men or at least 16 inches in women is one indicator that may suggest the condition. Postmenopausal women are more likely than younger women to have sleep apnea, in part because they tend to be heavier and have larger necks.
Specific Facial and Skull Characteristics. Structural abnormalities in the face and skull may be responsible for many cases of sleep apnea. These are likely to be the cause in many non-obese people with early-onset sleep apnea, particularly if they also have a family history of the problem.
Specific physical characteristics that may increase the risk for sleep apnea in both adults and children include:
* A long lower part of the face
* Brachycephaly, a birth defect in which the head tends to be shorter and wider than average
* A narrow upper jaw
* A receding chin
* An overbite
* A larger tongue
Characteristics in the Soft Palate. Some people have specific abnormalities in the soft area (palate) at the back of the mouth and throat that may lead to sleep apnea. These abnormalities include:
* The soft palate is stiffer, larger than normal, or both. An enlarged soft palate may be a significant risk factor for sleep apnea.
* The soft palate and the walls of the throat around it collapse easily.
Smoking and Alcohol Use
Smoking. Smokers are at higher risk for apnea. Those who smoke more than two packs a day have a risk 40 times greater than nonsmokers.
Alcohol . Alcohol use has been associated with apnea, although studies are mixed. A major survey reported that 53% of people who use alcohol to help fall sleep experience symptoms of sleep apnea. Another study found no relationship.
