A study in the October 2009 issue of the Neurology Journal discovered that sleep apnea, including central, obstructive or mixed type, was present in 50%-70% of stroke patients.

The scientists involved in the study “Sleep-Related Breathing and Sleep-Wake Disturbances in Ischemic Stroke” recommended that all stroke patients be screened for sleep apnea.  The finding of this study are extremely valuable for possibly preventing future strokes with early diagnosis and management of sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea has been linked to the most causes of the Center for Disease Control’s top ten causes of death.  Stroke is in the top three of those causes of death, second only to heart attacks and cancer.

The National Institutes of Health say that sleep apnea is a very common but deadly disease if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner.  Untreated sleep apnea can increase the risk for high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, heart attack and diabetes.  It can increase the risk for heart failure, irregular heartbeats and, due to fatigue, cause more accidents.

It is estimated that 95% of sleep apnea patients are never diagnosed and even for those patients who are diagnosed, it was reported that only 20% of them have good tolerance with the prescribed CPAP therapy.  A no-surgery, no-mask solution to manage obstructive sleep apnea is oral appliance therapy available through Dr. Mark Levy who is trained in Dental Sleep Medicine.

Contact Dr. Mark Levy at 614-454-3488 in Gahanna, Ohio to schedule a consultation today to discuss sleep apnea.