Main Page | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Screening | Reducing Your Risk | Talking to Your Doctor | Living With Sleep Apnea | Resource Guide
A risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of getting a disease or condition.
It is possible to develop sleep apnea with or without the risk factors listed below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your likelihood of developing sleep apnea. If you have a number of risk factors, ask your doctor what you can do to reduce your risk.
Risk factors for sleep apnea include:
Smoking
Heavy smokers —people who smoke more than two packs per day—are 40 times more likely to develop sleep apnea than nonsmokers.
Some studies have shown that people who use alcohol regularly have an increased risk of sleep apnea.
Using sedative medications can increase your risk of sleep apnea.
The following conditions may increase your risk of obstructive sleep apnea:
The following conditions may increase your risk of central sleep apnea:
Men are thought to be 2 to 4 times more likely to develop sleep apnea than women. However, some researchers have suggested that this difference might actually be because women are underdiagnosed with the condition.
The tendency to develop sleep apnea appears to run in certain families.
Sleep apnea is more common among:
You have an increased risk of developing sleep apnea if you have the following physical characteristics:
You also have an increased risk of developing sleep apnea if you breathe through your mouth while sleeping, or if you snore.
References:
American Sleep Apnea Association website. Available at: http://www.sleepapnea.org/resources/pubs/evaluated.html . Published May 2005. Accessed September 17, 2008.
Cecil R, Goldman L, Benett JC. Cecil Textbook of Medicine. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Company; 2000.
NINDS sleep apnea information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/sleep_apnea/sleep_apnea.htm . Updated June 2008. Accessed September 17, 2008.
What are the risk factors for sleep apnea? Health Cares website. Available at: http://neurology.health-cares.net/sleep-apnea-risk-factors.php . Updated July 2005. Accessed September 17, 2008.
What is sleep apnea? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/SleepApnea/SleepApnea_WhatIs.html . Updated February 2008. Accessed September 17, 2008.
Last reviewed August 2008 by Elie Edmond Rebeiz, MD, FACS
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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