Sleep Apnea Is Common Among Diabetics
Treating the disorder may help with blood-sugar control, too
 (HealthDay News) -- About one of every three people with type 2 diabetes also suffers from obstructive sleep apnea, in which collapsed airways cause impaired breathing that triggers multiple nighttime awakenings.
And men, particularly those older than 62, are more than twice as likely as women to have the condition, according to researchers from the Whittier Institute for Diabetes in La Jolla, Calif.. Analyzing data from 279 adults with type 2 diabetes, they found that 36 percent also had the sleep disorder.
Earlier studies had suggested a relationship between obstructive sleep apnea, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, but the Whittier study, published in the journal Endocrine Practice , was the first to analyze data from both men and women at a diabetes clinic.
"These findings demonstrate that obstructive sleep apnea has a high prevalence in adults with type 2 diabetes," principal investigator Dr. Daniel Einhorn said in a news release from the institute.
"Given that treatment of obstructive sleep apnea has the potential to both decrease blood pressure and improve glycemic [blood sugar] control, individuals with type 2 diabetes should be regularly screened for the presence of sleep apnea," Einhorn said.
Previous research has found that, in people with sleep apnea and diabetes, continuous positive airway pressure, known as CPAP therapy, not only helps manage the sleep interruptions, but also reduces blood sugar levels.
More than 18 million people in the United States are believed to have obstructive sleep apnea, but most of them have not been diagnosed with the disorder, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Sleep apnea is characterized by frequent pauses in breathing, usually lasting 10 seconds to 20 seconds each and occurring 20 times to 30 times or more an hour. Normal breathing resumes with a snort or choking sound.
In obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type, people cannot get enough air through the mouth and nose into the lungs, causing a drop in oxygen in the blood. The disorder has been linked to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, sexual dysfunction and increased risk of traffic accidents.
Treatment options include dental devices that move the jaw forward to make breathing easier and CPAP, in which a mask worn over the nose and mouth adds pressure to the air a person breathes in, in order to keep the airway open while the person sleeps, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. In some cases, surgery is needed to remove tonsils or extra tissue from the throat.
More than 20 million people in the United States have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association, and more than one in five adults over age 60 have the disease. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes. It occurs when the body does not make or use insulin correctly, and glucose, or sugar, builds up in the bloodstream. People can develop type 2 diabetes at any age.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include: increased thirst; increased hunger; fatigue; increased urination, especially at night; weight loss; blurred vision; and sores that don't heal.
Many people don't discover they have the disease until they experience diabetes complications, such as blurry vision or heart trouble. Early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes prevents damage to the body.
Diabetes treatment includes taking medication, making wise food choices, exercising regularly, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, and, for some people, taking aspirin daily, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.
On the Web
To learn more about type 2 diabetes, visit the American Diabetes Association.
SOURCES:
HealthDay News ; Whittier Institute for Diabetes, news release, July 30, 2007; July/August 2007, Endocrine Practice ; American Academy of Family Physicians (www.familydoctor.org); U.S. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov)
Author:
Robert Preidt
Publication Date:
July 31, 2008
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