About 42.5 million Americans are said to have chronic insomnia. It's late at night, you're still awake and the person in bed next to you is somewhere in Dreamland. You notice they quit breathing for a few moments before resuming the process. It's called sleep apnea and it may affect up to 18 million Americans. In fact, this sleep disorder has been closely linked with cardiovascular disease, says Brian H. Foresman, D.O., medical director of the Indiana University Center for Sleep Disorders.
Effective treatment is available often by using a forced-air mask device to regulate breathing.
Other therapies for sleep apnea are sometimes used but with less success, including tracheostomies, surgery and dental appliances, adds Dr. Foresman, clinical assistant professor with school's Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine. Each Tuesday from Feb. 15 through March 21, Indiana University School of Medicine faculty will deliver presentations to the general public enrolled in Mini Medical School. In an effort to reach a larger audience, the IUSM Office of Public and Media Relations will provide summaries of the material in the form of medical tips. This is the third installment of the medical tips for the current session of Mini Medical School.