Obesity and Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea (a sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing during sleep) is a common complaint among overweight people. This serious condition can cause a person to stop breathing for short periods of time during sleep, leading to daytime drowsiness.
In addition to encouraging tiredness, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can contribute to headaches, depression, loss of memory and lack of energy. Obstructive sleep apnea has also been linked to very serious problems such as high blood pressure and an elevated risk of heart disease and stroke.
Excess body fat on the neck and chest constricts the air- assageways and sometimes the lungs. Being overweight or obese, particularly abdominal and upper body obesity, is the most significant risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea. The more obese a person, the greater the risk of apnea. Thus morbid or malignant obesity carries a greater risk.
Weight Loss Surgery May Reduce Sleep Apnea
While obesity is a cause of sleep apnea, the relationship between sleep apnea and obesity is even more complex. Additional weight gain is a common sleep apnea symptom, so obesity can cause sleep apnea, and sleep apnea in turn can worsen obesity.
Weight Loss Surgery Options and Sleep Apnea
The good news is that losing weight may improve sleep apnea. If you qualify for bariatric surgery, having the surgery should result in a significant loss of weight. The loss of weight then may lead to a significant improvement in symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. Even modest weight reduction can help get the condition under control.
If you suffer from sleep apnea and are severly overweight, your best course of action is to reach out to a weight loss specialist and have a personal consultation to see if you qualify for weight loss surgery.
About Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation
Consult a Top Bariatric Surgeon
Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation, part of the Sutter Health network, offers bariatric surgery for weight loss. Our team performs surgery at California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC). Procedures include gastric bypass, gastric banding with LAP-BAND® or REALIZE® and stomach stapling procedures. Our weight loss surgeon performs bariatric, gastroenterology and endocrine surgery on patients from San Francisco Bay Area cities including San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, Oakland, Walnut Creek, and beyond.
San Francisco Weight Loss, GI & Endocrine Surgery Office (MAP)
1375 Sutter Street, Ste 208, San Francisco, CA 94109
Tel. 415-923-3200 Fax. 415-923-3205
Marin Weight Loss, GI & Endocrine Surgery Office
101 Rowland Way, Ste 220, Novato, CA 94595
Tel. 415-923-3200 Fax. 415-923-3205
