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Pickwickian Syndrome and Its Consequences on the Human Sleep Cycle
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Posted On :
Dec-04-2011
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Article Word Count :
511
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A sufficient amount of sleep is essential for us humans to work properly. Unfortunately for individuals who are afflicted by Pickwickian syndrome or obesity hypoventilation syndrome, a regular sleep cycle is hard to maintain.
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What is this syndrome about and how did it receive its name?
This affliction is often present in obese persons. Their excessive weight brings about intense pressure against the chest walls. Consequently, breathing is disrupted. This syndrome is characterized by an obese person's inability to breathe deeply or fast enough. For that reason, the blood has lower oxygen level a much higher carbon dioxide concentration. This often leads to sleep disruption.
Most syndromes are named after the doctor who first discovers it. It's not true with Pickwickian syndrome. The name comes from a literary character by Charles Dickens. This is mainly because in Dickens's 1837 novel CThe Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club," a person named Joe displayed all the the signs of the disorder. He was obese and experienced difficulty in sleeping. Though it is called as such, the majority of doctors today refer to it as obesity hypoventilation disorder.
What are the signs? What consequences does it have on health?
Individuals who are afflicted by the syndrome often have poor sleep quality, resulting in a lack of sleep. This lack of sleep results in increased daytime sleepiness. Other signs and symptoms include difficulty remaining awake during the day and serious drowsiness. Sometimes, it can possibly lead to depression, irritability, and headaches. Drowsiness and headaches are caused by the increased amount of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream. Low oxygen levels in the bloodstream could also result in heart strain.
Anyone who has OHD have trouble staying awake during the day. Those that have it end up drifting off to sleep while performing regular day to day tasks. There have been reports connecting the sleepiness brought on by the Pickwickian syndrome to vehicle accidents. This is what's called driving drowsiness, and it may lead to deadly accidents.
What are the treatment methods?
Because the syndrome is related to obesity, the most obvious treatment is weight loss. This could be achieved through common ways such as dieting and exercise. For severe cases, weight loss surgery is sometimes essential.
Weight loss, specially in the case of the obese, is a hard thing to accomplish. It requires a lot of commitment, particularly for those that work full time jobs. Besides the difficulty finding the time, weight loss programs also take a lot of time. It's a gradual process - not immediate. Doctors have accepted this, and it's the reason they've come up with treatment methods for breathing assistance. These methods involve the use of special machines that are invasive or non-invasive. It's up to the patient to determine which option to use. Of course, choosing the option shouldn't be done just by the patient. It's best to talk to a physician or specialist prior to taking action.
It's equally important to remember that the warning signs of OHD have been found in non-obese individuals. Any one displaying symptoms of OHD, obese or not, need to get checked by a doctor. Treatment is necessary to regain the individual's regular sleep cycle.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Pickwickian Syndrome and Its Consequences on the Human Sleep Cycle_114073.aspx
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Author Resource :
Tia Arnold is a physician who has assisted many patients that have issues with their sleep cycle. To learn more about how to get help with your condition, please read up about pickwickian syndrome and more.
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Keywords :
sleep cycle, Pickwickian syndrome,
Category :
Health and Fitness
:
Health and Fitness
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