Bappi Lahiri died of OSA. If you snore, you should be at least aware of obstructive sleep apnea as it can kill

On Tuesday night, singer-music composer Bappi Lahiri died of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a medical condition which, according to a 2019 Lancet study, plagues 28 million Indians.

However, not many people know about this disorder, though it is considered more common now. It is often dismissed as being innocuous. But medical experts say that if left untreated, severe OSA can be dangerous, and in some cases (like in Lahiri’s), it can also cause death.

Lahiri isn’t the first celebrity to succumb to this ailment. In 2016, Carrie Fisher, known for her iconic Princess Leia role in the ‘Star Wars’ movies, passed away after OSA caused a cardiac arrest while she was onboard a commercial flight. After Fisher’s death, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) issued a statement highlighting the factors — some of them overlooked — that cause the condition.


What Is OSA And What Are Its Risk Factors?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), in layman’s terms, means the obstruction of the airways when one is sleeping, says Dr Vivek Anand Padegal, Director of Pulmonology at Fortis Hospital, Bengaluru.

The muscle tone or the tension in the muscles decreases when people are asleep. However, there is a tendency for the muscle tone to fall further among people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. This causes the airways in the neck leading to the upper respiratory tract to become narrow. Air passes through these narrow passages with difficulty while the individual is asleep, which causes snoring.

“However, the risk is that if this condition gets severe, then the airways get completely blocked and the person feels like he is choking. When that happens, oxygen is cut off from the blood, the body goes into a stress mode, heartbeat fluctuates, and blood pressure rises. It causes tremendous stress on one’s body. The only way the body can overcome the stress is when the person wakes up for one or two seconds. Then the airways reopen,” says Padegal.

The doctor claims that in some severe cases, OSA can cause heart attacks, strokes, irregular heartbeats and even heart failures.

Death due to sleep apnea generally happens when the person has a heart condition. Individuals on dialysis are more susceptible to OSA. “It can lead to severely decreased quality of life, and there are studies that show that it also decreases the quality of life of the person sharing a bed with an OSA patient. The partner is likely to have higher chances of high blood pressure because they keep getting up due to the snoring of the OSA patient,” he explains.

People of all age groups can have OSA, including children. However, the incidences are higher among the elderly population. For women, the risk increases during the post-menopause period.

Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Dr Prashant Chhajed, Director of Pulmonology at Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai, says snoring is the most common symptom of this ailment. That is because snoring happens when the airways constrict.

However, not everyone who snores has obstructive sleep apnea. That verdict is contingent on a medical diagnosis that can be done by any general physician.

“In sleep apnea, since the air passages close in, the oxygen level in the blood deteriorates, and the brain doesn’t get good quality sleep as it stays active to help the person breathe. Therefore, there are several symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea that manifest when the patients are awake. For example, as these patients don’t get a good night’s sleep, they wake up in the morning unrefreshed, despite sleeping for several hours. They may have a morning headache and daytime tiredness. And, if there is a lull during the day, they might find themselves dozing off as well,” says Dr Chhajed.

It also impacts an individual’s productivity. In fact, studies show that OSA can increase the chances of road accidents. A Swedish survey that compared the road accident rates of the general population with patients of obstructive sleep apnea found that patients who have OSA are 2.3 to 2.6 times more prone to traffic mishaps. This is because people with OSA do not get enough sleep and so can become drowsy while driving.

How To Prevent It
Dr Chhajed explains that the primary lifestyle change that is important to prevent OSA is weight reduction. Dietary changes and regular breathing exercises obviously help in that process. For smokers, the symptoms may alleviate if they reduce or quit the habit.

People with OSA should avoid sleeping on their backs. Also, it isn’t prudent to not take sedative medication or anti-anxiety pills without talking to a doctor about OSA conditions.

“The golden treatment for OSA is to regularise airway pressure. As OSA causes the airways to collapse at night, the only way to prevent it from doing so is to maintain a positive airway pressure, which can be done with the help of a CPAP machine. It is easily available in the market and aids in proper breathing,” adds the doctor.

If you have just realised that you snore, don’t panic. Seek your doctor’s advice.