New book won't 'pussyfoot' around sleep apnea risks

Provider Lisa Feierstein wants people to know that the dangers of untreated sleep apnea go beyond feeling irritable or depressed.

So in November, she published "Defy Death: 9 Steps to Better Health for Sleep Apnea Sufferers," a free e-book with tips on managing sleep apnea and using CPAP machines.

"I truly believe that people need to be educated about the dangers of untreated sleep apnea," said Feierstein, president and co-founder of Active Healthcare. "I wanted to put together a product that could help people recognize themselves, and hopefully, motivate them to take action."

The e-book is available by contacting Active Healthcare.

While general awareness of sleep apnea has grown, many people don't understand that untreated sleep apnea increases the risk for co-morbidities like heart disease, high blood pressure and strokes, said Steve Feierstein, co-founder and CEO.

"We pussyfoot around that, but there's articles in the news all the time about some football player or other that has keeled over and died," he said. "Untreated sleep apnea leads to a shortened lifespan and that's in the book."

The e-book is part of a push by Active Healthcare to reach out to people the provider hasn't yet been able to "touch." Active Healthcare also publishes a monthly newsletter, offers a blog on its website, and in November, took to Twitter to spread the word as well.

"Our existing patients understand the dangers and are well educated, thanks to our robust follow-up and compliance programs," said Lisa Feierstein. "But there's a group of people, once they become aware of the medical dangers to themselves or their loved ones, this might put them over the edge to say, 'OK, I did not understand how it's really affected my health and my long-term ability to live out my life.'"