Obesity is a common cause of this disease, with the crowded tissues in the neck and throat leading to respiratory obstruction. According to Gurlleminault et al. (1977), 70% of those with severe snoring or OSA are overweight.
"I did so online research myself and found it’s because I’m too fat, and the tissues in my throat are also too bulky. When I lie down, these fatty tissues block the airway, leading to breath pauses, which is very dangerous—it might cause to not wake up after falling asleep. It’s terrifying, so I thought if surgery could help lose weight, maybe it could also cut off the fatty tissue in the throat and solve my problem." Wei Danian said leisurely, always appearing unhurried.
Typically, obstructive sleep apnea begins with snoring and is considered a chronic disease; unlike ordinary snoring, it can cause breath pauses, which are like ticking ti bombs.
Current estimates suggest that over nine hundred million people worldwide suffer from this condition, including over a hundred million in China. This is a very frightening number, so anyone who snores is advised to visit the hospital for sleep monitoring, to check if they have sleep apnea syndro.
This chronic disease can gradually harm the heart and cause multi-organ and systemic complications. Those with it have more than four tis the stroke risk and double the mortality rate compared to ordinary people, with untreated patients experiencing four tis the mortality rate of the general population.
"Do you now need a small CPAP machine to assist your breathing at night?" Little Five asked. "Want to talk to my colleagues in the respiratory departnt to take care of you?"
"That would be great; I’m not familiar with people there. If you could help by saying a word, that’d be wonderful." Due to being pampered by his parents since childhood, Wei Danian seed more naive.
"Which doctor did you see?" Little Five asked.
Wei Danian pulled out a slip of paper with the doctor’s na written on it: "Doctor Zhou Xuan."
"Doctor Zhou Xuan is an expert in this disease; he’s published many clinical papers on it. I’ll talk to him for you." Little Five grabbed his phone, sent a WeChat ssage to Doctor Zhou Xuan about Wei Danian’s situation, and then made a call.
There were simultaneous sounds from outside and the phone, as Zhou Xuan, answering the call, already stood at the door, the two talking face-to-face.
"Teacher Wu, what are you doing here? I’m consulting in your departnt." Zhou Xuan quickly put down the phone.
"Brother Five, what’s going on?" Zhou Xuan walked over.
"This big fellow is our friend; he says he’s seen your outpatient departnt, can you help look after him?" Little Five introduced.
Doctor Zhou Xuan realized that this was Wei Danian from his outpatient clinic that morning. He rembered clearly since Wei Danian, weighing two hundred pounds, claid he’d successfully lost weight, making him unique.
"Doctor Zhou, I visited your outpatient clinic this morning for sleep apnea syndro, and you said I needed a small CPAP machine; do you rember ?" Wei Danian instantly stood up to offer his seat.
Doctor Zhou Xuan said: "I rember, I do."
With such distinctive characteristics, how could he forget?
"Your friend?" Zhou Xuan looked at Little Five.
Little Five nodded.
"Well, what’s the best solution for him?"
Zhou Xuan grabbed a grape and popped it into his mouth: "Had I known he was your friend, I’d have told him to go to Hong Kong for dication."
"Wei Danian, you should take a trip to Hong Kong or Hainan Boao for dicine. There’s a newly marketed drug called Terpolptide, specifically for treating moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in obese adults. It’s not officially available here yet, but you can get it from either of those places." Doctor Zhou Xuan said while eating grapes.
"So no need for a nightly CPAP machine?" Wei Danian exclaid.
Zhou Xuan said: "No need, but rember to keep losing weight; this drug is currently the only one that can treat your condition."
If it were Little Five’s friend, he wouldn’t have said this because the dicine isn’t yet available on the mainland. Guiding a patient to purchase dicine could lead to misunderstandings, should any complications arise or if the treatnt is ineffective. There’s always a risk involved in such recomndations, potentially attracting legal trouble if patients think he’s profiting sohow. Hence, Doctor Zhou doesn’t usually offer private guidance unless dealing with trusted individuals, preferring standard dostic protocol regardless of outco legitimacy.
Since this big guy is Little Five’s friend, things are different, and having him use the CPAP machine nightly seems inappropriate.
Actually, Wei Danian was previously treated by Yang Ping, who saved his life. Since then, he frequently visits the institute, bringing fruits for nurses and doctors, chatting if they’re free or leaving when they’re busy, thus becoming familiar over ti.
Being quite cheerful and smiling, people naturally liked him and considering him a friend, were willing to help.
"You’re a friend of my Brother Five, helping you thoroughly is my pleasure; go to Boao Super Hospital. I’ll contact a doctor for you, who was my classmate and currently works under a remote team in respiratory dicine." Doctor Zhou Xuan wrote down a note with the doctor’s na.
Doctor Zhou acted swiftly, calling right away: "Hey, Brother Xiao, I have a friend with OSA; didn’t your super hospital introduce Terpolptide already? I’ll send him for dicine; can you help with treatnt? Great, thanks. When’s convenient? Great, thanks a lot."
"Wei Danian, head over next Thursday; he’ll have outpatient hours that afternoon." Doctor Zhou Xuan advised, "Be sure to go on ti, and if you miss him, contact Doctor Lu, who’ll inform ."
"Do I need to book online now?" Wei Danian asked.
"You can’t book an appointnt now; just go directly by 5:30 PM after he finishes his clinic, knock on the door for the dicine; it’s just a few minutes’ matter." Zhou Xuan said.
Wei Danian promptly said: "Thank you, I’m truly grateful."
Doctor Zhou stood up, patting Wei Danian on the shoulder: "Be grateful to Doctor Lu; he helped you."
"Brother Five, I have to go; can’t chat anymore." He waved a thick stack of consultation forms, "I’ve been running around dizzy today."
Not wanting to disturb these doctors, Wei Danian said: "Teacher Lu, Teacher Zhang, I’ll head back, going to Hainan a few days in advance."
Yang Ping was guiding students in imaging studies when Wei Danian greeted: "Professor Yang, I’m leaving now; sorry for the inconvenience."
"Wei Danian, don’t always be so polite; just feel free to drop by. No need to bring fruits each clinic or ward visit, it’s not good. I heard from the outpatient nurse you helped them move things last ti during setup?" Yang Ping felt this chubby guy was rather naive and harmless.
Wei Danian chuckled: "I just happened to see them lifting things, so I pitched in; I have strength to spare anyway with weight loss."
"Are you guys off-duty yet? Would you like to fetch food from the canteen?" Wei Danian rembered it was alti.
"No need, go ahead." Little Five said.
Smiling, Wei Danian headed back, always appearing cheerful despite hardships; previously, worrying less about life threats in ICU than hunger pangs.
"Professor, they asked us to form a team to regularly visit Hainan for outpatient surgery, you haven’t replied yet." Song Zimo recalled upon hearing about Hainan.
Yang Ping almost forgot, pondered briefly: "It’s quite botherso; best not go often, flying frequently tires everyone out; decline the invitation."
"I think so too; lots of hassle, yet there are advantages like accessing new international dicines and devices in sync globally." Song Zimo added.
"No team deploynt, but maintain contact; support technically when needed." Yang Ping instructed Song Zimo.
Song Zimo said: "Nurous professors are acquainted with you there, Professors Qin and Liang lead teams there longing for your participation."
"Their prowess is quite formidable, having assembled dostic top talent. We’re presently focused on research here; let’s not disrupt things." Yang Ping preferred to concentrate locally on his studies.
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