Dental Sleep Researchers Concerned that Weight Gain is Associated with Sleep Apnea
June 16th, 2009
According to lead author Mark Brown, MD, Department of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, people suffering from more severe Obstructive Sleep apnea (OSA) may be more likely to gain more weight than those with less severe OSA over time.
Cincinnati Dental Sleep Medicine Founder Dr. Timothy Kitzmiller is improving lives in Cincinnati and all around Ohio with custom night-use oral appliances that keep the airway open, ensuring a restful night sleep and lowering his patients’ risk of stroke, heart disease, and sleep-related car accidents.
Sleep apnea is a serious illness most often characterized by snoring, gasping for breath and excessive daytime sleepiness. It is implicated in many disorders including high blood pressure, changes in insulin resistance and a six fold increase in heart attacks and strokes. CPAP is the Gold Standard of treatment for sleep apnea and is very effective. Patients with moderate apnea who have untreated sleep apnea have a 36% decrease in 8 year survival compared to treated patients according to studies in the journal SLEEP.
The problem is that only “23-45% of patients prescribed CPAP actually use it regularly while the majority of obstructive sleep apnea patients do not” and this places these patients at greater risk for heart attacks and strokes. Studies have shown that patients with untreated sleep apnea are at greater risk of heart attacks and strokes when sleeping than when exercising.
Medical studies have shown that even patients who use their CPAP average only 4-5 hours a night not the recommended 7 1/2 - 8 hours. Recent studies have shown that patients who tolerate CPAP well from the beginning of treatment tend to continue treatment and patients who HATE CPAP or do not tolerate it at the start of treatment rarely embrace CPAP use.
The online sleep medicine resource- www.IHATECPAP.com – founded by Dr Ira L Shapira of Gurnee, Illinois- promotes sleep medicine and emotionally connects with patients who have abandoned CPAP treatment due to negative experiences. Dr. Shapira points out that the online site and marketing program does not ‘hate’ CPAP, however many patients do which is why the site and program’s name attracts thousands of patients and family members in search of a CPAP alternatives that can improve their sleep, health and prolong their lives.
The Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine supports the use of lightweight easy to use dental appliances that eliminates the inconvenience of carrying CPAP equipment when traveling and gives rest to those folks who don’t like or want a CPAP.
A 1985 graduate of the Ohio State University College of Dentistry, Dr. Timothy J. Kitzmiller has completed extensive post-graduate study in Occlusion (the relationship between the upper and lower teeth), Aesthetics, and dental sleep medicine. He is also a graduate of the renown LVI continuum (Las Vegas Institue of Advanced Dental Studies), with particular emphasis on aesthetic reconstruction, smile rejuvenation, and neuromuscular therapy related to sleep apnea.
Dr. Kitzmiller is an active member of D.O.S.A. (Dental Organization for Sleep Apnea), A.A.D.S.M. (The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine), and former associate of the reknown Sleep Medicine Network. Numerous hours of continuing education and having twice received the prestigious “Top Dentists in America” award keep Dr. Kitzmiller among an elite class of dentists in the country that provide exceptional esthetic and restorative dentistry .
Dr. Kitzmiller’s extensive training and over 20 years experience in the dental field make him uniquely qualified to treat all of his patients’ dentally related needs, affecting transforming smile makeovers and treating life threatening sleep breathing disorders.
Contact Timothy J. Kitzmiller, DDS at Cincinnati Dental Sleep Medicine by visiting http://www.Cincinnati.IHateCPAP.com or in the find a dentist section of www.ihatecpap.com. You can also call 513-248-8848.
Categories: Dental News
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