There are really two ways that sleep apnea can (and does) affect entire families. While these two tragic paths are different in their approach, they can both be solved the same way. The answer to sleep apnea affecting entire families is diagnosis and treatment.
Path Number One
First, people who suffer from sleep apnea do so because they fall into at least one of a few categories.
Our predisposition to being diagnosed with sleep apnea is determined by factors such as:
- Weight
- Age
- Sex
- Genetics
Genetics is the first way sleep apnea can affect entire families, because biological families share genetics. Research suggests that obstructive sleep apnea is about 40 percent attributable to genetics, which means it can be passed down from parents to children.
What is the solution in cases like these? Diagnosis and treatment. The worst thing anyone can do for their sleep apnea is nothing at all. And ignoring it or attributing its signs to other things just allows that person’s condition to worsen.
Path Number Two
Sleep apnea can also affect families that fall into that remaining 60 percent of cases who don’t inherit it. Having someone in your family suffer from untreated sleep apnea can mean listening to loud snoring and preventing you from sleeping well. It could mean a parent being so fatigued during the day that you don’t get to spend much time with them.
For those sufferers who’s sleep apnea translates into diabetes, heart disease, or early onset dementia, their family is left to endure years of watching their loved one’s health deteriorate. Sleep apnea can also have even more severe repercussions including fatal ones when left untreated. In these cases, families lose their loved ones.
Common Solution
As we highlighted at the beginning, there is a common answer two both paths for suffering families. If you or a loved one lives with symptoms of sleep apnea and is either undiagnosed or not being treated, that person needs to see a doctor, for their sake and for their family’s.
Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment
For more information about sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment, schedule a consultation with Dr. Pamela Marzban at 703-323-8200.
