Obstructive Sleep Apnea Sufferers More At Risk of Cancer, Other Health Conditions, According to 3 Studies

An extensive study presented early this week at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Barcelona, Spain, specified that people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea or OSA are at an increased risk of cancer.

As indicated in a EurekAlert! report, a second study exhibited that OSA was also associated with a drop in processing powers in the elderly, specifically those who are 74 years of age and above, and men exhibited a steeper drop in certain cognitive tests.

Another research, a third one, showed that patients that have more severe OSA were at greater risk of developing blood clots in their veins, a possibly life-threatening condition.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

OSA is a common sleep disorder whereby an individual is experiencing partial or complete obstruction of his airways while sleeping and stops breathing several times during the night.

This can exemplify loud snoring, choking, gasping, and daytime sleepiness. It is believed to affect at least seven to 13 percent of the population.

A similar Medical Xpress report specified that individuals suffering from obesity or who are overweight, with diabetes, smoking, or consuming great amounts of alcohol are most at risk of OSA.

According to researcher Dr. Andreas Palm, also a senior consultant at Uppsala University, Sweden, who presented the first research, it is already known that patients who have OSA have an increased risk of cancer, although it has not been clear whether or not this is because of the sleep disorder itself, or to associated risk factors for cancer like cardiometabolic disease, obesity, and lifestyle factors. Findings have shown that oxygen deprivation because of OSA is independently linked to cancer.

Relevance of OSA on Medical Conditions

Professor Winfried Randearth, from the Bethanien Hospital at the University of Cologne, Germany, also the head of the ERS specialist group on sleep-disordered breathing and was not part of the three studies, explained that the said studies present worrying links between obstructive sleep apnea and important illnesses that impact both survival and quality of life.

The data back the relevance of sleep apnea, particularly on cancer, other medical conditions like thromboembolisms, and mental health, a similar Eurasia Review report said.

Whereas the three studies cannot prove that OSA is causing any health problems, people need to be aware of these links and attempt to make lifestyle changes to reduce their OSA risk, for example, by keeping a healthy weight.

Nonetheless, a specific diagnosis and treatment must be initiated if OSA is suspected. Experts are now looking forward to additional studies that may help to clarify if OSA may be causing some of the health problems observed in the said three sets.

Related information about the link between sleep apnea and other health conditions is shown on Icahn School of Medicine's YouTube video below:

Check out more news and information on Sleep in Science Times.