Type 2 Diabetes - Diagnosing Sleep Disorder in Diabetics

Studies have shown that perhaps more than 90 per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes have obstructive sleep apnea, or trouble breathing during sleep... usually because Type 2 diabetics tend to be obese. Investigators in the Department of Medicine of Providence Portland Medical Center in Oregon, USA, designed a study to discover how well cases of obstructive sleep apnea are being diagnosed. Their results were published in the medical journal Chest in November 2011.

Sixteen thousand sixty-six people with diabetes were included in the study and their medical records over an 18 month period were reviewed. Only 18 per cent of these participants had a diagnosis of obstructive sleep disorder, less than the 54 to 94 per cent reported. Among obese diabetics the number was 23 per cent, lower than the previously reported 87 per cent for obese diabetics.

Males:

those with a higher body mass index,those with other chronic conditions,those with high levels of low-density cholesterol (LDL), anddiabetics with poor blood sugar control

were more likely to have a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea than healthier males with Type 2 diabetes.

The researchers concluded sleep apnea is underdiagnosed. They recommended doctors should be aware of the strong association between the two conditions and screen their Type 2 diabetes patients for obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea takes place when the throat is narrowed during sleep, causing the body to fail to get enough oxygen. Patients with the disorder frequently snore and feel tired during the day.

According to the Mayo Clinic in the USA, there are three basic ways of testing for obstructive sleep apnea:

Oximetry measures patients' blood oxygen levels during sleep with a painless clip-on device that fits over the finger.
Nocturnal polysomnography consists of monitoring heart, lung, breathing patterns, brain activity, arm and leg activity and blood oxygen levels during sleep. That can help to differentiate between obstructive sleep apnea and frequent limb movement or narcolepsy, which also cause daytime tiredness but are treated differently.
Portable cardiorespiratory testing involves the use of oximetry along with airflow and breathing patterns at home.

If obstructive sleep apnea is diagnosed, doctors recommend:

weight loss,limiting alcohol consumption,quitting smoking,using a nasal decongestant, andnot sleeping on one's back.

If those measures are ineffective, a device to blow room air through the throat can be used. In extreme cases, surgery is sometimes used, but fortunately the need for it is rare.

Conclusion: Obstructive sleep apnea, when breathing stops during sleeping, is a condition frequently associated with diabetes and obesity; however studies do show that when obstructive sleep apnea is treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP: a device that helps keep airways open so you can breathe more easily), overnight blood sugar levels are stabilized. Here's to getting a good night's sleep... if you aren't getting enough hours of sleep or suffer from low-quality sleep due to related symptoms, work with your doctor to find some shut-eye solutions.

To discover answers to questions you may be asking yourself about Type 2 Diabetes, click on this link... Natural Diabetes Treatments