Sleep Apnoea: Are we sleepwalking into another NHS crisis

Sleep apnoea, I’ve recently found, affects around 1 in 8 people.

According to the UK's Sleep Apnoea Trust, 13% of men and 6% of women between the ages of 30-75 in the UK have sleep apnoea. From their data, this equates to some 10 million people living with sleep apnoea in the UK.

The most common form of the disorder is obstructive sleep apnoea, in which the upper airway partly or completely closes during sleep, blocking the flow of air to the lungs and causing breathing to repeatedly start and stop. In addition to risk of death, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and possibly cognitive decline and dementia are all contributors to a severe decline in sleep quality.

Many people never realise they have sleep apnoea until they start experiencing the adverse effects of the condition.

However, Guy’s and St Thomas’ in London has become the first NHS trust in the UK to use a pioneering implant device to treat a man’s severe sleep apnoea.

The intervention comprises of hypoglossal nerve stimulation involving implanting an Inspire upper airway stimulation device under the skin in the chest with a lead that goes under the chin. Whilst having remarkable results, this treatment is not suitable for everyone. A new revolutionary drug for sleep apnoea called AD109 could also help, as could Sulthiame, an epilepsy drug too.

Sleep apnoea doesn’t just affect adults. At least 2 to 3% of children are believed to have sleep apnoea, with the disorder believed to be as Great Ormond Street point out, high as 25% in children with specific conditions, for example Down syndrome, sickle cell disease, obesity and other conditions. The most common cause is enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids, which can partially block the airway.

Having sleep apnoea is no joke and it’s essential that treatment, especially for sleep apnoea in children and young people, be given priority as getting treatment at the right time has been shown to help them with learning, emotional and mental well-being and overall quality of life, not to mention long term neurodevelopmental and cardiovascular benefits.