Statins could be a nightmare for those suffering from sleep apnea
Sleep apnea sounds innocent enough. But if you or your spouse suffers from it, you know it can be downright terrifying. Waking up choking, gasping for air and with your heart racing can leave you feeling like you’re fighting for your life.
So, for those of you tired of lugging that bulky CPAP mask to bed with you, some insane researchers are touting a new treatment you’re not going to believe.
Scientists from Columbia University are claiming that popping cholesterol-lowering statins may help end your sleep misery for good.
But there’s one big catch that nobody is talking about.
Sleep apnea doesn’t just leave you feeling exhausted all the time. It also ups your risk of high blood pressure, A-fib, heart failure and even diabetes.
And that’s why I can’t understand why any scientist in his right mind would push statins — drugs that have been proven to cause many of these conditions — on people with sleep apnea.
But, believe it or not, that’s where we are. Because when I told you the mainstream would stop at nothing to force statins on every man, woman and child, I wasn’t kidding.
Columbia scientists just wrapped up a lab study where they found that statins may block some of the cellular processes that can contribute to sleep apnea.
And let me make sure you got that — this was a test tube study without a single human patient. But you’d better believe that’s not going to stop doctors from prescribing statins off-label for sleep apnea right away.
The only problem? When you’re dealing with sleep apnea, heart disease and diabetes are the two deadliest complications you need to be on the lookout for.
And trying to stop heart problems or diabetes with statins is a little like trying to cure a headache with a guillotine.
Study after study has shown that statins can actually stimulate the hardening of your arteries and even promote heart failure. And just last year I told you about research on military members and their families that found that statins send your risk of diabetes through the roof — even if you’re otherwise healthy!
On top of that, other common side effects from these drugs include muscle pain and extreme fatigue — the same kinds of problems your sleep apnea is causing!
That doesn’t sound like much of a treatment to me.
Look, maybe these researchers were hoping to get a job at Pfizer — who knows? What I do know is that taking a statin drug is no way to help you dodge heart disease or diabetes, sleep apnea or not.
If you do have sleep apnea, there are some things you can try that you might not have been told about — things that might make a big difference in how you sleep at night.
For example:
- If the CPAP isn’t something you can tolerate, there are similar devices available that you may find more comfortable. Another type of “airway pressure” treatment is called EPAP, which you place under your nostrils. Many who can’t take the idea of wearing a mask find EPAP to be more bearable.
- Stop sleeping on your back! When you do your throat muscles tend to close up and your tongue can fall to the back of your throat. Side sleeping can significantly reduce snoring and episodes of sleep apnea in many people.
- Other simple treatments include putting a humidifier in your bedroom, increasing your vitamin D levels and taking magnesium, which can help regulate muscles, including those in your upper throat.
Sources:
“Statins may reduce heart risks linked to sleep apnea” NewsMax, January 6, 2016, newsmax.com
