"please keep me updated about oximeters "
Sleep Apnea Forum Bringing Power to the Patient
New? Free Sign Up
Then check our Welcome Center to a Community Caring about Sleep Apnea diagnosis and Sleep Apnea treatment:
CPAP machines, Sleep Apnea surgery and dental appliances.
CPAP Supplies
Latest Activity
Does sleep apnea run in families?
When I had my sleep study done the dr questioned me about my siblings and told me that the tendency toward apnea runs in families. I told my siblings what he had said and suggested they be tested. I was diagnosed with "severe" apnea. The dr said I was averaging about 45 minutes of sleep untreated. One of my brothers was tested and also diagnosed as "severe". My brother died during the night at the age of 59 and sleep apnea is one of the causes listed on his death certificate. I dont know how common it is for siblings to share this problem. Does anyone have any knowledge regarding this?
Views: 1790
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on
-
I believe, and Dr. Park will probably have more clarification on this, that OSA is caused by one of 2 things the first is weight or obesity. 2nd would be the size of our jaws or mouth and the amount of things in them(tongue,tonsils etc),I have even heard that obesity may actually be a symptom of OSA. I would definately say that both of these things could be influenced by genetics.
-
Permalink Reply by Steven Y. Park, MD on
-
I agree with Rock, but I would change the order in terms of importance. Ultimately, OSA is an anatomical problem, and obesity is the end result. Since you get your genes from your parents, if one has severe sleep apnea then you have a higher chance of developing sleep apnea. This depends on the jaw size that you inherit. Smaller jaws makes you more susceptible to sleep breathing problems, but this is also affected by a number different variables, including, diet, lifestyle, exercise, stress, bottle-feeding, etc. Poor quality sleep also promotes weight gain. Weight gain narrows the throat. Having said this, if you take a normal person and artificially put on massive amounts of weight, there's a good chance that you'll get sleep apnea. All humans are predisposed to various degrees due to our upper airway anatomy and our ability to talk.
-
Permalink Reply by Cathy s on
-
I know that obesity is linked to apnea but I will say that I had apnea years ago when in my 20's and I only weighed 120 pounds. But my dentist tells me I have a very small mouth so maybe there is something to that. Also as I said before I have chronic sinus infection and deviated septum so I cant breathe at all through my nose. I dont know how much of that has any influence. My brother that died was obese. We had to get him an oversize casket. So Im sure that obesity had alot to do with his problems. He had a massive heart attack which I think was brought on by apnea. Im debating on the odds of the rest of my siblings having this problem as none of them will be tested.
-
Permalink Reply by Sandra Limbach on
-
My kids are under the care of Dr Guilleminault at Stanford. Leading Authority on Sleep disorders. His comments are that it is very genetic and as Dr. Park points out it is often an anatomy issue. My son is13yrs., 5'2" and 90 lbs. Obesity is not in his future but he still suffers from OSA. My daughter is normal weight and short and suffers from OSA. Both my kids have had and will have more jaw surgery because the opening to the airway is not large enough. The Dr's believe I am the OSA link based upon my facial structure even though I don't have significant OSA.
-
-
My grandfather was not obese at all. I can remember sleeping at his house listening to him snore, and pause, and snore some more. He later died due to a massive stroke. I learned quite a few years later that I had been listening to Apnea. Had I have known, or had he been able to get his apnea treated he might still be alive. This is the reason I do what I do now.
Cathy s said:I know that obesity is linked to apnea but I will say that I had apnea years ago when in my 20's and I only weighed 120 pounds. But my dentist tells me I have a very small mouth so maybe there is something to that. Also as I said before I have chronic sinus infection and deviated septum so I cant breathe at all through my nose. I dont know how much of that has any influence. My brother that died was obese. We had to get him an oversize casket. So Im sure that obesity had alot to do with his problems. He had a massive heart attack which I think was brought on by apnea. Im debating on the odds of the rest of my siblings having this problem as none of them will be tested.
-
-
The reason I got tested for sleep apnea over 5 years ago was that my mom & dad confirmed they had sleep apnea after having a sleep study done. Once I understood what apnea was based on my mom's description, I was confident I had it too. So my brother & I also did a study and it showed we had apnea also. I had heard that it often runs in the family at that point, but even so I remember being suspicious of the lab at the time b/c 4 out of 4 test results all showed we had apnea! None of us were/are over weight. As a matter of fact, my mom was underweight.
I also suspect 2 out the 3 other siblings also have sleep apnea, but they refuse to be tested. Regardless, I know the right diagnoses was made & have been 100% compliant/successful with CPAP.
-
-
I have 7 siblings and only one has been tested, she has severe apnea as well as me. We both are about 25 pounds overweight.We are working on that! I do believe that both my parents had it , just from taking care of them as they aged. They were never tested.We didn't know of it. I am trying to get my brothers and other sister to get tested.
-
-
I would also like to ask f anyone knows what are the effects of sleeping pills and or antidepressants mixed with sleep apnea. I would think that someone suffering from apnea shouldnt take anything that would induce sleep but I dont know. I would be very interested to find out.
-
-
BE very careful with sleep aids if you have apnea I know of several friends who we have lost. My doctor HAS WARNED ME ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ABOUT the mixture factor which is known but not understood. Finally apnea does run in families as my grand father, aunt , uncle and sister have had it. TOMMIE
-
Permalink Reply by Mary Ellingson on
-
I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea in 2001 Also my Brother was diagnosed in 2003 my father also had sleep apnea so I would guess it does run in families
-
Permalink Reply by Banyon on
-
I have been asked that question and I always give the same reply. "Don't worry about whether it is inherited. It is pandemic. Learn what the symptoms are and if you have two or more symptoms go to a sleep doc for a screening and possibly a PSG. It is too deadly to ignore."
© 2025 Created by The SleepGuide Crew.
Powered by
