H.E. Dr. Hussein Abdul Rahman Rand, Assistance Undersecretary of Health Centers and Clinics Sector, UAE Ministry of Health and President – Ear, Nose and Throat Division, Emirates Medical Association, has revealed that Dr. Mohammed Hoqani, Consultant – Chest Diseases Medicine sleep, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the UAE University conducted a seminar on ‘Sleep Apnea - Risk to Health and Traffic Accidents’. Held in cooperation with Metro-Med and Philips, the conference was held at the Oberoi Hotel Business Bay in Dubai.

The seminar aimed to increase awareness about the sleep disorder and help in its early detection and diagnosis to reduce psychological and behavioral complications. Recent statistics suggest that 25 per cent of the UAE population suffer from interrupted breathing during sleep. It mainly effects overweight males above the age of forty and can often lead to complications such as memory problems, sexual dysfunction, headaches, high blood pressure, and increased traffic accidents.

Dr. Hoqani said " The seminar focused on updates in the apnea syndrome during sleep across adults and children, their symptoms and diagnostics by checking the sleep patterns at night in a special laboratory that uses modern techniques to monitor the vital signs of the body during sleep along with brain signals, breathing and the ratio of oxygen used.”

The symptoms of sleep apnea include feeling weak, morning headaches, gastroesophageal reflux and snoring. Recently, one device has been developed to transplant the collar bone down the generator under the skin—extending a wire into a vein near the phrenic nerve where the device stimulates the diaphragm, which helps regulate breathing during sleep.

Sleep apnea is classified into three types-- central sleep apnea (CSA), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and mixed sleep apnea (both central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea) The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea, because of airway blockage, such as some tissue falling in the throat back. While in central apnea, the brain is unable to alert body for apnea, or alarm failure of the breathing muscles. In the jointly apnea, it is a mix between these two problems.

Researchers believe that the most common treatment for sleep apnea is continuous air pressure through the air pass CPAP, which is a mask placed over the face. Through this method, a person can breathe through an air tube, which works on air pressure to avoid a stop in breathing. Another solution is via surgical intervention, which may include removing the tonsils.