President Joe Biden recently began using a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea, CNN reported on Wednesday. It’s a common disorder that affects an estimated 30 million U.S. Adults, according to a Feb. 2023 report by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
“Since 2008, the president has disclosed his history with sleep apnea in thorough medical reports,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said, after reporters asked about the mask marks on Biden’s face. “He used a CPAP machine last night, which is common for people with that history.”
CPAP machines utilize air pressure applied through a mask to ensure a sleeper’s throat remains open during the night. Weight loss, surgery and positional therapy are also often prescribed to those who suffer from sleep apnea. But approximately 80% of sleep apnea cases in American go undiagnosed, leaving sleepers to suffer the symptoms of the disorder.
“This campaign will inform the public that untreated sleep apnea is ‘More than a Snore,’ affecting a person’s long-term health and quality of life,” the American Academy of Sleep Medicine said, explaining its multi-year sleep apnea awareness campaign. “Untreated sleep apnea increases the risk of other health problems such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and depression.
“Sleep apnea should be discussed with a health care professional to determine if testing and treatment are necessary. Primary care professionals and specialists who see patients for routine health care should screen their patients for sleep apnea if they exhibit any of these warning signs.”
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, sleep apnea affects over 20% of obese people and is found in men more often than women, though the risk of women suffering from sleep apnea does rise after menopause.
“Sleep apnea happens when upper airway muscles relax during sleep and pinch off the airway, which prevents you from getting enough air,” Jonathan Jun, M.D. , a pulmonary and sleep medicine specialist at the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center told Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Your breathing may pause for 10 seconds or more at a time, until your reflexes kick in and you start breathing again.”
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