Does the elder doze off during the day or exhibit regressive behaviors? Doctor: Beware of sleep apnea increasing risk of Alzheimer's disease
Dozing off during the day, poor memory, weakened language skills, etc. are common symptoms of the elderly. Many family members think that these are normal manifestations of the elderly. However, in fact, the elderly may have some risk factors for chronic diseases that are quietly developing, and they should be proactive Get checked out and even arrange relevant treatment.
Sleep apnea triples risk of Alzheimer’s disease
Dr. Shen Guangxuan of the Department of Otolaryngology of Mackay Hospital in Taipei and Taitung said that Taiwan’s population is aging at the fastest rate in the world. The National Development Council estimates that by 2025, Taiwan will enter a super-aged society with more than 20% of the population aged 65. Aged society, the relationship between sleep apnea and Alzheimer’s disease has recently been gradually paid attention to by Taiwanese people. The literature points out that sleep apnea will increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by two times compared with the general population.
Dr. Shen Guangxuan explained that the components of Alzheimer’s disease are quite complex, including amyloid protein metabolism in the brain, chronic inflammatory response in the human body, cardiovascular disease, etc. However, the source of all these is related to the body’s long-term chronic hypoxia. In addition to Alzheimer’s disease, long-term chronic hypoxia in the body may also cause high blood pressure, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, stroke and other diseases, but this should not be underestimated!
However, the invisible killer that can easily cause long-term chronic hypoxia in the human body but is easily ignored by the public is “sleep apnea”. Many systematic studies have found that when the muscle strength of people over 65 years old deteriorates, the prevalence rate of moderate to severe sleep apnea is as high as 50%, which means that on average, every two people over 65 years old One person may suffer from moderate to severe sleep apnea. Common symptoms include loud snoring at night, fatigue during the day, lack of energy, and nocturia. In addition, according to the literature, active use of non-invasive positive pressure breathing apparatus in patients with dementia and sleep apnea can effectively improve cognitive function and degenerative behaviors.
Changes in sleep patterns in the elderly require increased vigilance
Hong Xiaojing, a senior sleep technician at Colin Sleeping Beauty, also said that the sleep patterns of the elderly will indeed be different from those of young people, such as shorter sleep requirements, increased need for naps, and easier awakening in the morning. However, if you watch TV and see Falling asleep, feeling tired all the time, and frequent nocturia are abnormal phenomena.
At the same time, Technician Hong, who is a nurse, specially reminded that when a disease occurs, it means that physical damage has been done. Today, when the public pays more and more attention to the quality of life, the public should have the concept of “prevention is better than cure”. If you have any doubts, it is recommended to seek help from Professional assistance, timely medical treatment or home sleep testing to maintain health and improve the quality of life of the elderly.
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