Comorbidities Resolved with Bariatric Surgery: Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder. It’s the most common type of sleep apnea usually associated with morbid obesity (a BMI of 40 or more). Occurring as a result of the throat muscles intermittently locking and relaxing during sleep, it causes successive episodes of cessation or decrease in airflow. Loud snoring, abrupt awakenings accompanied by gasping, morning headache, and excessive daytime sleepiness are some of the most common symptoms of this sleep disorder.
Resolving Sleep Apnea with Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery is often recommended to obese patients with co-morbidities like sleep apnea. Several studies have proven how weight loss surgery results in the improvement or cure of sleep apnea.
In one study involving 27 morbidly obese patients, researchers found that bariatric surgery significantly improved both the subjective and objective parameters of the obstructive type of sleep apnea.
How Bariatric Surgery Does This
Obese patients usually have a larger amount of fatty tissues around their upper airways. When they go to sleep, these fatty tissues partially or completely collapse the upper airways, resulting in a decrease of airflow.
Bariatric surgery helps patients lose weight, and in turn reduces the surrounding fat near the neck and allows the airway to open.
Considering Bariatric Surgery?
At Foothills Weight Loss Specialists in Knoxville, we offer bariatric surgery for the treatment of obesity to improve health and overall quality of life. Many obesity-related conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, acid reflux, weight-bearing joint pain, and sleep apnea are improved or resolved following bariatric surgery.
If you’re considering bariatric surgery, we offer free live, or online seminars to help educate prospective patients. Register for a live seminar or visit our website to get started on your online seminar today.
Not sure if you’re a candidate?
Take our simple self-assessment, or call (865) 984-3413 to speak with someone at our office.