Whether The Damage Is Reversible If The Apnea Treated With CPAP?
I intend to have a sleep study performed, but have not done so yet. Once I have a Dx, I will consider CPAP or whether surgical interventions are appropriate.
My question concerns the effects of obstructive sleep apnea on the heart, and whether the damage is reversible if the apnea treated with CPAP, etc.
Thanks kindly.
I would recommend as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I passed carefully through your question and would explain that sleep apnea is an independent cardio-vascular risk factor.
This means that if not treated for a long time, it can cause irreversible changes in the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk for future myocardial infarct or heart attack.
For this reason, especially if you feel tired or sleepy during the day, I would recommend performing a polysomnogram in order to determine if you suffer from sleep apnea.
Other tests to consider would be a head and cervical MRI in order to investigate for airway obstruction and pulmonary function tests.
Hope you will find this information helpful!
I remain at your disposal in case of further questions whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Ilir Sharka, Cardiologist