About 10% of U.S. residents have obstructive sleep apnea, and only 10% of those patients have been diagnosed, according to Dr. Michael Landry, owner of Houston Sleep Apnea, which is located in the same facility as his dental practice.
Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes a patient to continually stop and start breathing while sleeping, according to the Mayo Clinic. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and strokes, Michael said.
“It’s kind of a silent killer,” he said.
Some of the symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, morning headaches, and insomnia. According to the Mayo Clinic, men are more likely to have sleep apnea than women, and other risk factors include age, obesity, smoking and drinking alcohol.
