Comments on: Did sleep apnea cause Reggie White’s cardiac arrest? http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/12/sleep-apnea-reggie-whites-cardiac-arrest.html Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:05:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/12/sleep-apnea-reggie-whites-cardiac-arrest.html#comment-73350 Anonymous Wed, 28 Mar 2007 15:39:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/12/reggie-white-sleep-apnea-and-cardiac-death.html#comment-73350 Although approx 3 yrs old I was saddened to hear of the death of this otherwise fit young man 'Reggie White'. It is only now, years later that I find myself connected to this story through my own grief at the sudden death of my beloved brother Danny who had only just turned 46. Famous only to his friends and family, but an exceptionally talented artist and huge intellect and loved dearly by all who knew him. Danny loved and embraced life which makes his death so much harder to bear. However what is even harder is that the postmortem revealed nothing, in fact confirmed that Dan was an extremely fit and healthy man. His blood was also clear, and although we have the autopsy report tomorrow, signs are that cause will be attributed to 'Sudden adult death syndrome'. My remaining brother Jeff has done alot of his own research on the internet into sleep apnea and is convinced that this was most likely the cause. The main connection is that Dan had become increasingly sleepy/tired in the months leading to his death. An example which occurred not long before his death was of falling asleep on a rigid kitchen chair whilst the pan he was cooking a curry in caught alight and was only noticed by Dan's lodger who obviously smelled burning. On the Saturday night Dan had been out with a group of friends to celebrate one of their birthdays. A friend suggested that he had seemed unusually drunk at the end of the night which for a man who could normally handle his drink seemed strange. The following day Dan complained of his head really hurting but also of feeling really tired. By the end of the night apart from the serious headache a feeling of extreme tiredness whereby all he wanted to do was sleep had taken over. Dan texted his boss the following morning (Monday) and told him that he wouldn't be in as he felt 'seriously ill'. However in addition to the rest of the text his boss dismissed this as just a figure of speech to mean that he was really not well, ie flu etc. as opposed to a cold or similar. We certainly know that as Dan's lodger was at home that day Danny would have had ample opportunity to raise the alarm if he was concerned enough. As it turned out, Dan had probably gone back to sleep after the early morning text, woken about mid morning and made himself a light snack, half drunk some tea, and then returned to bed after taking a lemsip (2 empty sachets were found on his bedside table). At approximately 5.50pm his ex partner and soul mate Collette let herself in on her way back from work and found Danny dead in his bed. As a family we are consumed with trying to find out what happened to Danny a beloved and sorely missed son, brother and friend to many. Prior to the post mortem we were convinced something linked to the brain or heart would be the cause and were absolutely gobsmacked when nothing showed up. When the blood tests also revealed nothing we were in total disbelief. Were Dan's symptons, ie severe headache just coincidental. We know that the extreme tiredness would fit a pattern in sleep apnea if that's even what Dan had as he hadn't been tested or diagnosed with it in life. For all those sufferers I wouldn't want this story to put the fear of God in you, however as one writer quite rightly stated, why isn't there more awareness of this disorder. If this is what ended my brother's life as it most probably did Reggie White's than it is an absolute tragedy. You simply do not expect an otherwise fit and healthy person to simply fall asleep and die. I would appreciate any responses that may help us as a family to grasp a better understanding of this disorder and if this was possibly the cause of death in my brother. Many thanks. Although approx 3 yrs old I was saddened to hear of the death of this otherwise fit young man ‘Reggie White’. It is only now, years later that I find myself connected to this story through my own grief at the sudden death of my beloved brother Danny who had only just turned 46. Famous only to his friends and family, but an exceptionally talented artist and huge intellect and loved dearly by all who knew him. Danny loved and embraced life which makes his death so much harder to bear. However what is even harder is that the postmortem revealed nothing, in fact confirmed that Dan was an extremely fit and healthy man. His blood was also clear, and although we have the autopsy report tomorrow, signs are that cause will be attributed to ‘Sudden adult death syndrome’. My remaining brother Jeff has done alot of his own research on the internet into sleep apnea and is convinced that this was most likely the cause. The main connection is that Dan had become increasingly sleepy/tired in the months leading to his death. An example which occurred not long before his death was of falling asleep on a rigid kitchen chair whilst the pan he was cooking a curry in caught alight and was only noticed by Dan’s lodger who obviously smelled burning. On the Saturday night Dan had been out with a group of friends to celebrate one of their birthdays. A friend suggested that he had seemed unusually drunk at the end of the night which for a man who could normally handle his drink seemed strange. The following day Dan complained of his head really hurting but also of feeling really tired. By the end of the night apart from the serious headache a feeling of extreme tiredness whereby all he wanted to do was sleep had taken over. Dan texted his boss the following morning (Monday) and told him that he wouldn’t be in as he felt ‘seriously ill’. However in addition to the rest of the text his boss dismissed this as just a figure of speech to mean that he was really not well, ie flu etc. as opposed to a cold or similar. We certainly know that as Dan’s lodger was at home that day Danny would have had ample opportunity to raise the alarm if he was concerned enough. As it turned out, Dan had probably gone back to sleep after the early morning text, woken about mid morning and made himself a light snack, half drunk some tea, and then returned to bed after taking a lemsip (2 empty sachets were found on his bedside table). At approximately 5.50pm his ex partner and soul mate Collette let herself in on her way back from work and found Danny dead in his bed. As a family we are consumed with trying to find out what happened to Danny a beloved and sorely missed son, brother and friend to many. Prior to the post mortem we were convinced something linked to the brain or heart would be the cause and were absolutely gobsmacked when nothing showed up. When the blood tests also revealed nothing we were in total disbelief. Were Dan’s symptons, ie severe headache just coincidental. We know that the extreme tiredness would fit a pattern in sleep apnea if that’s even what Dan had as he hadn’t been tested or diagnosed with it in life. For all those sufferers I wouldn’t want this story to put the fear of God in you, however as one writer quite rightly stated, why isn’t there more awareness of this disorder. If this is what ended my brother’s life as it most probably did Reggie White’s than it is an absolute tragedy. You simply do not expect an otherwise fit and healthy person to simply fall asleep and die. I would appreciate any responses that may help us as a family to grasp a better understanding of this disorder and if this was possibly the cause of death in my brother. Many thanks.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/12/sleep-apnea-reggie-whites-cardiac-arrest.html#comment-61211 Anonymous Wed, 29 Mar 2006 13:22:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/12/reggie-white-sleep-apnea-and-cardiac-death.html#comment-61211 One-third of all adult Americans--about 50 million people--complain about their sleep. Some sleep too little, some fitfully, and some too much. Although one-third of our lives is spent asleep, most of us don't know much about sleep, not even our own. We don't even know exactly why we sleep, other than--like an overnight battery recharge--sleep promotes daytime alertness. Sleep problems profoundly disturb both sleeping and waking life. <br/><br/>Some useful resources to help you out from all kinds of sleep disorders:<br/> <br/>http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov <br/>http://www.sleepdisordersguide.com <br/>http://www.stanford.edu<br/>http://www.neurologychannel.com One-third of all adult Americans–about 50 million people–complain about their sleep. Some sleep too little, some fitfully, and some too much. Although one-third of our lives is spent asleep, most of us don’t know much about sleep, not even our own. We don’t even know exactly why we sleep, other than–like an overnight battery recharge–sleep promotes daytime alertness. Sleep problems profoundly disturb both sleeping and waking life.

Some useful resources to help you out from all kinds of sleep disorders:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov
http://www.sleepdisordersguide.com
http://www.stanford.edu
http://www.neurologychannel.com

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/12/sleep-apnea-reggie-whites-cardiac-arrest.html#comment-60089 Anonymous Tue, 07 Mar 2006 03:34:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/12/reggie-white-sleep-apnea-and-cardiac-death.html#comment-60089 Hosehead! I like that. The 90-degree angled plastic pipe where the hose connects reminds me of an elephant trunk. If you open your mouth, with the air being forced out you can sound like Darth Vader, or a heavy breathing phone stalker! Hosehead! I like that. The 90-degree angled plastic pipe where the hose connects reminds me of an elephant trunk. If you open your mouth, with the air being forced out you can sound like Darth Vader, or a heavy breathing phone stalker!

]]> By: Chuckhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/12/sleep-apnea-reggie-whites-cardiac-arrest.html#comment-59832 Chuck Wed, 01 Mar 2006 16:24:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/12/reggie-white-sleep-apnea-and-cardiac-death.html#comment-59832 I have recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea with a total of 90 episodes a night of 15 to 25 second stoppage of breathing. I'm 36 male. I have been taking medicine for High Blood-pressure and stress for 3 years now. I have been doing alot of reading up on sleep apnea and it seems that stress and sleep apnea are related to each other in some form. Has anyone notice by using the CPAP a decrease in blood-pressure and or there stress condition? contact me by email at nh3_king@yahoo.com<br/><br/>My the lord bless you and all your loved ones. I have recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea with a total of 90 episodes a night of 15 to 25 second stoppage of breathing. I’m 36 male. I have been taking medicine for High Blood-pressure and stress for 3 years now. I have been doing alot of reading up on sleep apnea and it seems that stress and sleep apnea are related to each other in some form. Has anyone notice by using the CPAP a decrease in blood-pressure and or there stress condition? contact me by email at nh3_king@yahoo.com

My the lord bless you and all your loved ones.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/12/sleep-apnea-reggie-whites-cardiac-arrest.html#comment-58044 Anonymous Thu, 22 Dec 2005 18:47:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/12/reggie-white-sleep-apnea-and-cardiac-death.html#comment-58044 I was recently diagnosed w/ sleep apnea, waking up an average of 8.5 times per hour at night. I'm 31 yrs old have also been sufferring from "depression" over eight years ago - now I'm wondering if this would have been the case if I would have asked about sleep apnea sooner. Too bad there's not more out there about sleep apnea to make people more aware of how serious it is. I was recently diagnosed w/ sleep apnea, waking up an average of 8.5 times per hour at night. I’m 31 yrs old have also been sufferring from “depression” over eight years ago – now I’m wondering if this would have been the case if I would have asked about sleep apnea sooner. Too bad there’s not more out there about sleep apnea to make people more aware of how serious it is.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/12/sleep-apnea-reggie-whites-cardiac-arrest.html#comment-56378 Anonymous Tue, 01 Nov 2005 02:52:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/12/reggie-white-sleep-apnea-and-cardiac-death.html#comment-56378 Reggie and inspiration to us all in life and death - I recently got back on my bipap machine -- I was always amazed at his abilities on the football field and his life in faith and love for the lord. To all of us big guys loose weight, take your medicine and Remeber Reggie a bigger man than us all. Reggie and inspiration to us all in life and death – I recently got back on my bipap machine — I was always amazed at his abilities on the football field and his life in faith and love for the lord. To all of us big guys loose weight, take your medicine and Remeber Reggie a bigger man than us all.

]]> By: RSKhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/12/sleep-apnea-reggie-whites-cardiac-arrest.html#comment-52854 RSK Sat, 14 May 2005 02:05:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/12/reggie-white-sleep-apnea-and-cardiac-death.html#comment-52854 The data on the association of obstructive sleep apnea and coronary artery disease is far more robust than you believe. The studies you cite are quite old by now, the summary from the site "uptodate" apparently does not give much weight to some of the important studies that have come along in the last five years.<br/><br/>I am not a scientist, but a sleep apnea sufferer, and one of my good friends, Peretz Lavie from the Technion in Israel, has long been recognized as one of the leading researchers. I would suggest that you look at his March, 2005, article in the European Respiratory Journal, which addresses between all-causes mortality and sleep apnea, particularly among younger (<50 yrs) OSA sufferers. Most significantly, Dr. Lavie has an article in the current (May, 2005) journal, Sleep, on the association between OSA and endothelial dysfunction. The introduction to the article cites the multiplicity of strong studies illuminating the established association between OSA and cardiovascular disease, including hypertension. I believe the evidence will continue to build.<br/><br/>I suggest reading Lavie's book, Restless Nights, published by Yale Univ. Press (2004). It is a good book for OSA sufferers and physicians, including especially primary care physicians and cardiologists, who have not really paid sufficient attention to this syndrome. The data on the association of obstructive sleep apnea and coronary artery disease is far more robust than you believe. The studies you cite are quite old by now, the summary from the site “uptodate” apparently does not give much weight to some of the important studies that have come along in the last five years.

I am not a scientist, but a sleep apnea sufferer, and one of my good friends, Peretz Lavie from the Technion in Israel, has long been recognized as one of the leading researchers. I would suggest that you look at his March, 2005, article in the European Respiratory Journal, which addresses between all-causes mortality and sleep apnea, particularly among younger (<50 yrs) OSA sufferers. Most significantly, Dr. Lavie has an article in the current (May, 2005) journal, Sleep, on the association between OSA and endothelial dysfunction. The introduction to the article cites the multiplicity of strong studies illuminating the established association between OSA and cardiovascular disease, including hypertension. I believe the evidence will continue to build.

I suggest reading Lavie’s book, Restless Nights, published by Yale Univ. Press (2004). It is a good book for OSA sufferers and physicians, including especially primary care physicians and cardiologists, who have not really paid sufficient attention to this syndrome.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/12/sleep-apnea-reggie-whites-cardiac-arrest.html#comment-52207 Anonymous Thu, 03 Mar 2005 01:12:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/12/reggie-white-sleep-apnea-and-cardiac-death.html#comment-52207 If you believe there is no significant data tying congestive heart failure to sleep apnea contact the Mayo clinic..their study in spring of 2003 not only showed a correlation, but actually showed that enlarged heart and congestive heart failure could be mitigated by treatment of sleep apnea. If you believe there is no significant data tying congestive heart failure to sleep apnea contact the Mayo clinic..their study in spring of 2003 not only showed a correlation, but actually showed that enlarged heart and congestive heart failure could be mitigated by treatment of sleep apnea.

]]> By: Kellyhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/12/sleep-apnea-reggie-whites-cardiac-arrest.html#comment-51902 Kelly Tue, 04 Jan 2005 23:45:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/12/reggie-white-sleep-apnea-and-cardiac-death.html#comment-51902 I have sleep apnea. "Hosehead" is what we call ourselves, since most of us use CPAP or APAP (xPAP means any of the different machines...)<br /><br />A great resource website to find others like yourself is:<br /><br />http://www.talkaboutsleep.org/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi<br /><br />We support one another as finding a sleep doctor who knows about the machines, masks and compliance issues we face can be a monumental struggle.<br /><br />See you there! I have sleep apnea. “Hosehead” is what we call ourselves, since most of us use CPAP or APAP (xPAP means any of the different machines…)

A great resource website to find others like yourself is:

http://www.talkaboutsleep.org/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi

We support one another as finding a sleep doctor who knows about the machines, masks and compliance issues we face can be a monumental struggle.

See you there!

]]> By: Kellyhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/12/sleep-apnea-reggie-whites-cardiac-arrest.html#comment-51901 Kelly Tue, 04 Jan 2005 23:34:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/12/reggie-white-sleep-apnea-and-cardiac-death.html#comment-51901 I have sleep apnea. "Hosehead" is what we call ourselves, since most of us use CPAP or APAP (xPAP means any of the different machines...)<br /><br />A great resource website to find others like yourself is:<br /><br />http://www.talkaboutsleep.org/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi<br /><br />We support one another as finding a sleep doctor who knows about the machines, masks and compliance issues we face can be a monumental struggle.<br /><br />See you there! I have sleep apnea. “Hosehead” is what we call ourselves, since most of us use CPAP or APAP (xPAP means any of the different machines…)

A great resource website to find others like yourself is:

http://www.talkaboutsleep.org/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi

We support one another as finding a sleep doctor who knows about the machines, masks and compliance issues we face can be a monumental struggle.

See you there!

]]>