US President Joe Biden, 80, suffers from sleep apnea and uses a CPAP or Continuous Airway Pressure Machine (CAPM) to treat the same, it has been revealed. The sitting US president, the commander-in-chief of the world's most powerful military, recently left the White House with noticeable marks on his face stoking questions on how fit he is to lead the United States.
"Since 2008, the president has disclosed his history with sleep apnea in thorough medical reports. He used a CPAP machine last night, which is common for people with that history," White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said.
Joe Biden is the oldest person to serve as the US President. He is currently seeking a second, four-year term in the 2024 presidential election despite his age becoming an issue of prominent concern among his own Democratic Party members.
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Joe Biden’s approval rating stands at 43 per cent in the latest NBC News national poll. This is not enough to translate into a re-election win. However, another 10 per cent of registered voters say they only "somewhat disapprove" of Biden’s performance. And in a hypothetical rematch with Trump, half of those voters say they would support Biden, while 39 per cent say they would back Donald Trump.
What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that causes brief interruptions of breathing during sleep which can result in snoring, daytime fatigue and high blood pressure. Due to sleep apnea, throat muscles relax following which the flow of air into the lungs is blocked.
If left untreated, it can cause forgetfulness, fatigue and sleepiness, even leading to cardiovascular disease because of the significant strain put on the heart.
What is a CPAP machine?
A CPAP or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine is a medical device that delivers a continuous flow of pressurised air to the airways, which thereby prevents them from collapsing.
