People living with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) often experience sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea can significantly affect quality of life in a variety of ways as interrupted sleep is not restful or restorative.
What is ATTR-CM?
Transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is a rare progressive disease of the heart muscle that leads to congestive heart failure. It occurs when the transthyretin protein produced by the liver is unstable. Symptoms include fatigue; shortness of breath; irregular heart rate or palpitations; swelling of the legs, ankles and stomach; brain fog; wheezing; and dizziness. It often goes underdiagnosed because of a lack of awareness and knowledge of the disease. There is currently no cure for ATTR-CM.
Sleep apnea has also been linked to health conditions such as diabetes and heart failure.
What is sleep apnea?
In sleep apnea, your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during the night. It often leads to snoring or gasping for breath. There are two types of sleep apnea, and both are prevalent in people living with ATTR-CM.
Read more about ATTR-CM signs and symptoms
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea. The upper airway becomes blocked, reducing or stopping airflow.
Central sleep apnea (CSA) occurs when the brain doesn’t send the right signals to the airways. Numbness and tingling may also occur.
In both cases, sleep apnea results in the body getting less oxygen than it should.
How sleep apnea affects the body
Interrupted sleep leads to chronic fatigue, day sleepiness, less reactive motor skills and brain fog, leading to problems concentrating, making decisions and remembering. It can also lead to low mood, depression, headaches, irritability and a dry mouth in the morning.
In the long term, sleep apnea has been shown to contribute to the onset or worsening of a number of different diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, heart failure, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatty liver disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obesity.
Managing sleep apnea
Once your health care providers confirm a diagnosis of sleep apnea, they will define a treatment plan for you. You can also take the following steps to better manage sleep apnea and improve the quality of your sleep.
Manage your weight: Maintain a healthy weight or lose weight if you are overweight or obese. This will make a significant difference in your sleep apnea and the quality of your sleep.
Create a sleep routine: Make your bedroom comfortable and conducive to sleep. Create a routine of going to sleep and waking at the same time to train your body to sleep.
Have comfortable bedding: Choose a comfortable mattress and pillows and breathable cotton bedding to improve your night’s sleep.
Adjust your sleep position: Lie on your side or with your head elevated to prevent airway obstruction.
Managing sleep apnea will support your overall well-being by allowing you to sleep with less interruption, reduce the strain on your heart and improve the quality of your life.
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