Customer Reviews

The Perils of Sleep Apnea--An Undiagnosed Epidemic: A Layman's Perspective

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I agree with the other reviewer that this book doesn't cover everything about sleep apnea. For me, it makes a connection to all kinds of other medical problems I never knew about and encouraged me to check them out.

If you want to learn all about sleep apnea and how it works, buy something else. But if you want to learn more than the standard "sleep doctor" story, or you are worried about someone who may have sleep apnea, buy this book too.

Most all of the information in this book is readily available with a simple Internet search. The writing about conditions does not include in-depth or even correct information. In fact, the book is a cursory level look at the problem and doesn't address several issues that are caused by or correctable with such devices as a CPAP machine. This is more an informational pamphlet, and not a very good one at that. The reason I know this is because I have recently consulted with a sleep specialist, completed two overnight sleep tests, and have begun to use a CPAP device. The author fails to mention the several benefits of the device - just within 30 days, from a 7% reduction of an enlarged heart (if your heart is enlarged) to improved blood sugar levels if you're diabetic, reduced sinus congestion, improved muscle tone of the diaphragm which will lower blood pressure, and many more. If you think you have sleep apnea my advice is to find a good medical doctor who specializes in sleep problems. I told my primary care doctor three years ago that I had apnea and he told me that I couldn't have it because "you're not fat." Fat is only one small factor in this disease. I have also told my cardiologist that I have apnea and he just looks the other way preferring to peddle pills for my borderline hypertension (high in the morning while in bed, normal five minutes later after sitting - a significant signal of apnea). Another doctor finally agreed to have me sleep tested and I'm sure that it was truly a life saving decision. When I return to my primary care doctor I will give him a piece of my mind because even physicians do not understand a great deal about this deadly disease.

Additionally CPAP devices have been improved significantly over the negative context in which the author commented on them. I don't believe that he even bothered to investigate these devices at all in their current form. Mine is comfortable and presents no problems at all during sleep. Oh yeah, kissing is a little rough.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea recently and got my CPap less than a month ago. I am pretty upset about this condition and am reading everything I can get my hands on to try to understand it. So far I have read most of the books on Amazon that cost under $50. This one is far and away the best in my view. Mr. Abrams has clearly put a brilliant mind and hundreds of hours of scientific research into his book. He was motivated because he has sleep apnea, but it took his background as an engineer to enable him to understand and relate scientific studies to the condition. I like this book best because it is not blinded by the conventional sleep study "wisdom." All to often doctors think in small "approved" channels and sleep apnea, which is an overwhelming topic, is falling in to this "controlled" "conventional" thinking, I fear. Mr. Abrams has connected scientific papers, analyzed them, and has come up with some very important and unconventional theories that I think are fascinating and well worth considering. So far, his theory that hypercoagulability, gout, and ventricular arrythmia are often a product of sleep apnea, may save a life in my own family! Best book on the subject so far. I have purchased over 10 copies and am distributing them to doctors and friends.