Sleep apnea and pneumonia

As most folks with sleep apnea have found out, this disorder can cause more problems than just a lack of sleep. In previous posts I have written about the major danger of sleep apnea and that is the blockage of air in the back of the throat which means that oxygen is cut off  which in turn forces your body to wake up. There are other major health issues that can also be associated with sleep apnea such as Diabetes, GERD and high blood pressure. Sleep deprivation due to this illness can also cause memory and concentration problems as well.  Something that I didn’t realize though was that there is a connection between sleep apnea and pneumonia.

According to the National Library of Medicine pneumonia is “a breathing (respiratory) condition in which there is an infection of the lung. It is also a common illness that affects millions of people each year in the United States. Germs called bacteria, viruses, and fungi may cause pneumonia”

Connection between pneumonia and sleep apnea

According to a study there seem to be a connection between community acquired pneumonia and sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.  That certainly makes sense because pneumonia is caused by an infection of the lung and sleep apnea also has an adverse effect on the lungs. Bronchitis is also another disorder that is similar to pneumonia and has also been connected with sleep apnea.

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