Nearly 1 Billion People Worldwide Have Sleep Apnea, International Sleep Experts Estimate
May 21 2018 - 2:15PM
Business Wire
Researchers analyzed prevalence studies from 16
countries, together with data from the World Health Organization
and United Nations World Population Prospects
A new data analysis presented by ResMed (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD)
this week at the ATS 2018 International Conference indicates that
the prevalence of sleep apnea impacts more than 936 million people
worldwide – nearly 10 times greater than previous estimates.
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Woman wearing CPAP, the gold standard
treatment for sleep apnea (Photo: Business Wire)
The study “Global Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)”
was conducted by an international panel of leading researchers
seeking to provide a clear scope of the impact of the chronic
sleep-disordered breathing condition. The previous estimation of
OSA prevalence (100 million) came from a 2007 World Health
Organization study that used methods and data available at the
time. By analyzing technology improvements in detecting OSA and
underreported statistics from other areas of the world, this latest
study depicts an impacted population significantly larger than
previously identified.
“The research and findings are a revelation in sleep apnea
research and represent a vastly underreported major public health
issue,” said Adam Benjafield, ResMed vice president of Medical
Affairs and lead study researcher. “This new study demonstrates a
need for expanded awareness around the diagnosis and treatment of
OSA worldwide.”
Sleep apnea is a chronic disease that causes people to stop
breathing while they sleep. To avoid suffocation, the body is
jolted by the brain to take a breath, typically without the person
ever being aware. This cycle can repeat as many as hundreds of
times a night, disrupting normal sleep patterns. Life-threatening
conditions associated with OSA range from chronic daytime fatigue
to heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, and more.
Previous studies have suggested that undiagnosed sleep apnea costs
nearly $150 billion in the United States alone as a result of
related lost productivity, motor vehicle accidents and workplace
accidents – an economic impact that’s likely much greater, given a
higher prevalence total.
“This study should encourage physicians to talk with their
patients about how sleep affects our overall health,” said ResMed
Chief Medical Officer Carlos M. Nunez, M.D. “It should also cause
more people to ask themselves, ‘Do I or my bed partner have this?’
Those who have sleep apnea don’t often realize they have it and,
therefore, don’t realize they can do something to mitigate the
resulting chronic fatigue or its more harmful long-term health
risks. And sleep apnea isn’t just a disease for older, overweight
men, as once thought. It affects people of all ages, all ethnic and
racial groups, all states of health, and is not gender specific. In
fact, nearly half of newly diagnosed patients are female.”
About the study
In 2007, The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated more than
100 million people are affected by OSA, although they acknowledged
that this figure was not based on robust data.
The aim of this new study, “Global Prevalence of Obstructive
Sleep Apnea in Adults: Estimation Using Currently Available Data,”
is to estimate the global adult prevalence of OSA. Researchers
identified 16 countries with published prevalence papers based on
objective sleep studies and applied findings to areas previously
under-quantified. After data review, estimates were extrapolated
based on the global adult population aged 30–69 years. Prevalence
statistics were applied to population numbers in each country based
on the corresponding gender and body mass index (a key risk factor
for OSA). OSA prevalence was estimated based on severity of the
disease as measured by the apnea–hypopnea index.
Convened by ResMed, the experts included representatives from
North and South America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
About ResMed
ResMed (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD), a world-leading connected health
company with more than 5 million cloud-connected devices for daily
remote patient monitoring, changes lives with every breath. Its
award-winning devices and software solutions help treat and manage
sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other
respiratory conditions. Its 6,000-member team strives to improve
patients’ quality of life, reduce the impact of chronic disease and
save healthcare costs in more than 120 countries. ResMed.com
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