"please keep me updated about oximeters "
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New book: "Deadly Sleep."
The purpose of the book is to address some of the many questions I got after my own four year adventure with OSA. As a retired neurologist and teacher I tried to present the information as if I were explaining it to a sleep apneic patient what OSA is, what it can do to you (with emphasis on the bad stuff to get their attention) and how to go about getting it treated.
During the writing, I couldn't resist including my own theories about what this disease is capable of doing, like causing Alzheimer's Disease, for example. Evidence is accumulating and I remain confident that some day appropriate studies will prove it. There is recent study you won't believe that I'll have to tell you about later.
The point is, regardless of what theories I have, sleep apnea must be treated to prevent the well known disasters that potentially await the untreated OSA patient. (obesity, diabetes and it's complications, high blood pressure and it's complications, incl. heart attack, cardiac arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, stroke, the list goes on...).
During the writing, I couldn't resist including my own theories about what this disease is capable of doing, like causing Alzheimer's Disease, for example. Evidence is accumulating and I remain confident that some day appropriate studies will prove it. There is recent study you won't believe that I'll have to tell you about later.
The point is, regardless of what theories I have, sleep apnea must be treated to prevent the well known disasters that potentially await the untreated OSA patient. (obesity, diabetes and it's complications, high blood pressure and it's complications, incl. heart attack, cardiac arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, stroke, the list goes on...).
Views: 8
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike on
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cliffhanger about the recent study we won't believe is leaving me very curious to hear what it's about. pray tell!
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Permalink Reply by Mack D Jones, MD, SAAN on
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I didn't want to say anything until I could find the misplaced article. I am still looking, but the gist of it was something like this. It came from San Diego and it was followup report on ten Alzheimer's patients. They all had OSA and underwent multiple cognitive tests before and after being placed on CPAP. After something like three to six weeks of CPAP they were retested and found to have significant improvement in all the cognitive tests. Now here is where it get interesting. Following the study the patients were left to continue with their lives. A year later it came to the attention of the researchers that five of the patients had decided on their own to continue CPAP. They had been on CPAP for the entire year. So it seemed like a good idea to restudy these patients to see how they compared to their previous study. Well, low and behold their cognitive tests (something like eight in all) revealed an even more dramatic improvement in cognition than the studies done the year before. The irony here is that the patients themselves (with the support of their caregivers you can be sure) unwittingly did the study that the researchers should have planned themselves. And it begs the question, should all AD patients with OSA (and almost all of them do have it) be on PAP machines? I say yes. You can bet that PAP improves cognition considerably better than any drug available and who knows, it may even be slowing the progression of the disease which drugs haven't been able to do.
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Permalink Reply by susan mccord on
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This is news to me!, and I find it absolutely fascinating. When we consider the increasing incidence of Alzheimer's dx, to hear about something as potentially profound, and treatable as apnea, being a factor, lends a great deal of hope to those of us who have had family members or friends with Alzheimer's. THANK YOU for this new, and exciting information.
Is your book in publication? I want to read it!
Susan McCord :-)
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Yes, the book is available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNobel.com, iUniverse.com at their bookstore and others. Feel free to contact me with questions and/or comments after you have read it. I have found the feedback to be both enlightening and informative.
susan mccord said:This is news to me!, and I find it absolutely fascinating. When we consider the increasing incidence of Alzheimer's dx, to hear about something as potentially profound, and treatable as apnea, being a factor, lends a great deal of hope to those of us who have had family members or friends with Alzheimer's. THANK YOU for this new, and exciting information.
Is your book in publication? I want to read it!
Susan McCord :-)
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