Bariatric Surgery in Las Vegas – Sleep Apnea and Respiratory Problems

What are they?
Obstructive sleep apnea is when breathing suddenly stops because soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. Morbid obesity can cause sleep apnea and other respiratory problems. The greater your excess body weight, the greater the amount of fat pressing down on your chest and lungs. When you are morbidly obese, you are likely to have a greater buildup of fat deposits in the tongue and neck. While sleep apnea may occur regardless of someone's age, gender, or body mass, the disease tends to be more severe in the obese.

How are they affected by bariatric surgery?
Reducing overall excess body weight reduces fat deposits in the tongue and neck that cause sleep apnea. Clinical data show that sleep apnea is present in 60 percent of patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

What success have patients found through bariatric surgery?
Recent research found that obstructive sleep apnea was resolved in 85.7 percent of patients through gastric bypass surgery.

Many people suffering from sleep apnea go undiagnosed. If you are obese and feel tired and fall asleep during the day, talk to your physician about sleep apnea.