Recently we raised awareness of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) – a condition where the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep, interrupting normal breathing and affecting the normal sleep pattern.

Here’s a few facts:-

• 4% of middle-aged men and 2% of middle-aged women in the UK have OSA. Older people are more at risk with 15% to 20% of those aged 70 and over estimated to have the condition.
• OSA can cause hypertension and untreated is associated with heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
• 80% of people with OSA have not yet been diagnosed and some studies suggest this could even be higher.
• People with OSA may have a life expectancy of 20 years less than the general public.
• People with undiagnosed OSA have a higher risk of road traffic accidents and accidents at work. Studies suggest that driver tiredness may be a contributory factor in as many as 20 per cent of all road accidents.

For further information:

britishsnoring.co.uk

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Sleep-apnoea   and

British Lung Foundation

Please display the FACTS poster.