Sleep Apnea Less of a Problem after Weight Loss Surgery in Lexington, Kentucky

Sleep apnea, a known symptomatic companion to obesity, is an expanding health concern in Kentucky. And the different types of clinics for weight loss surgery in Lexington have to become safer and more numerous every year. While obesity is a common source of sleep apnea, the relationship between obesity and sleep apnea is relatively complex. Additional weight gain is a symptom of sleep apnea. The two are viciously intertwined; sleep apnea can be caused by obesity, and sleep apnea can result in weight gain. For those interested in the lap band, Lexington has some of the most qualified clinics in the country – among them, Weight Loss Surgery at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington. Also called the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, it is an inflatable silicone device placed around the top of the stomach.



Weight loss has long been associated with improved sleep apnea. Even modest weight reduction can help get the condition under control, according to experts.



Basically, sleep apnea causes the airway to become obstructed during sleep. The result is often loud snoring, the condition’s most benign symptom. But, sleep apnea can also stop breathing altogether and cause cardiac arrhythmias. The condition can be terminal. Chronic interrupted sleep is part of the sleep apnea sufferer’s life, and can lead to fatigue during waking hours, as well as decreased mental and motor function. But these unfortunate outcomes are avoidable according to the team of Weight Loss Surgery at Central Baptist Hospital – bariatric surgery Lexington can depend on.



According to a recent study in the "British Medical Journal," obese males with more severe cases of sleep apnea who followed a specialized diet and lost a substantial amount of body mass improved their sleep apnea symptoms greatly.



Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm assessed whether early improvements in obstructive sleep apnea after a very low energy diet and subsequent weight loss persisted a year after initial findings, in males ages 30 to 65. Participants had to have been diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea. They also had to have a body mass index of at least 30.



They underwent a 365-day weight loss program which included a nine-week, low-energy diet. Most of the participants completed the weight loss maintenance program. Using the apnea hypopnea index, researchers measured severity of sleep apnea.



Researchers recorded results at the one year point. At least 10 percent of the participants exhibited complete and total remission, and 48 percent no longer needed continuous airway assistance during sleep. Follow-up assessments showed a significant correlation between weight loss and the apnea-hypopnea index.



Diagnosing sleep apnea is fairly simple. Sleep studies can be performed at sleep labs, where patients spend the night sleeping with oxygen saturation monitors and apnea monitors to observe sleep structure. Those suffering from sleep apnea and obesity should reach out to a weight loss specialist and have a personal consultation to see if they qualify for weight loss surgery.



Author Bio: Dr. G. Derek Weiss, MD, FACS, FASMBS is the Director of Weight Loss Surgery at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Ky. As only one of the Center of Excellence Surgeons at Bluegrass Bariatric Surgical Associates, Dr. Weiss is among the leading minimally invasive bariatric surgeons in the country. Dr. John S. Oldham, Jr., MD is a member of numerous respectable professional societies including the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, and the American College of Surgeons. Combined, Dr. Weiss and Dr. Oldham, Jr. have performed over 3000 minimally invasive weight loss surgeries.