The
most commonly treated sleep disorder at St. John's is obstructive sleep
apnea, which commonly occurs in patients who snore and experience partial
obstruction of the airway, leading to repetitive episodes of complete airway
blockage for a minimum of 10 seconds each time.
Untreated apnea causes a variety of health
problems, including hypertension, possible cardiac arrhythmias, congestive
heart problems, and even possible respiratory arrest.
Sleep apnea has also been associated with
non-restorative sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, mood
swings, difficulty concentrating, increased risk for stroke, and premature
aging. Treating obstructive sleep apnea has tremendous health benefits.