Sleep apnea can be very dangerous if left untreated.
What Can Happen If Sleep Apnea Is Untreated?
There are serious complications and serious medical problems if you remain untreated. These include heart disease,stroke,diabetes,obesity and depression. Conclusive evidence from various surveys indicate that there is increased risk of motor vehicle accidents associated with untreated sleep apnea. People with untreated apnea are also at increased risk for accidents at work, many of which end in death and severe disability. There is an increased prevalence of sleep apnea among truck drivers, which is a particular concern. Other short term concerns include excessive sleepiness impairing your quality of life, attention, concentration and mood.
More than 6,000 men and women ages 40 and older (both sufferers and non-sufferers of sleep apnea) participated in the Sleep Heart Healthy Study (SHHS).
Researchers found that, after an average of eight years, the participants who had sleep apnea had a 40 percent increased risk of death (from any cause) compared with those who did not have the condition.
Study results also showed that the risk of mortality (from any cause) was more apparent in men with severe sleep apnea.
It is estimated that about 80 percent of men and 90 percent of women with moderate to severe sleep apnea are undiagnosed.