If you or someone you love has a heart failure condition, not sleeping well can double the likelihood of being hospitalized, according to new research by the European Society of Cardiology.

In April, the European Society of Cardiology presented a study at EuroHeartCare 2014 showing that poor sleep doubles hospitalizations in heart failure patients. EuroHeartCare is the official annual meeting of the Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (CCNAP) of the European…

Written by David Volpi, M.D., P.C., F.A.C.S.

It’s no secret that sleep apnea can lead to a long list of medical conditions, and worsen existing ones. Medical experts are now adding diabetes to the list. According to a new study published in February on the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Care website, sleep apnea can worsen Type 2 diabetes in some patients.

Sleep apnea is a potentially life…

Written by David Volpi, M.D., P.C., F.A.C.S.

This month’s blog is for anyone who has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and is having trouble using—or refusing to use—a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine while sleeping.

 

CPAP machines help nighttime interrupted breathing by pumping a continuous flow of air into the nasal passages, keeping the airway open, and preventing or greatly reducing snoring and paused breathing. Still, many people are…

I’ve been a practicing ear, nose, and throat specialist for more than 20 years, and one thing I know for certain about my obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients is—they have to do the treatments in order to get better.

The problem is that some OSA patients who would benefit from Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines can’t or won’t use it because they find it uncomfortable, even though CPAPs have proven to be very effective in increasing oxygen flow and reducing apneic…