A new Politico report on President Joe Biden’s battle with sleep apnea failed to mention the potential health complications associated with the condition.
In its “prescription pulse” newsletter about the pharmaceutical industry, the outlet portrayed the president as a champion for the 30 million Americans who live with sleep apnea.
Scoop: Biden has begun using a CPAP machine, per sources. The device is to treat longstanding sleep apnea, one of the people said. As Biden departed the White House this morning for Chicago, indentations from the CPAP straps could be seen on his face. Story by @jendeben and me. pic.twitter.com/U4Chkp16Pq
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) June 28, 2023
“It causes people to frequently stop breathing during sleep, causing them to wake up. Those with sleep apnea can suffer from tiredness during the day,” Politico wrote of sleep apnea, citing the Mayo Clinic.
Politico failed to mention, however, that the condition can also cause other complications, such as high blood pressure, heart problems and type 2 diabetes, depending on the type of sleep apnea. (RELATED: Biden Awkwardly Walks Off Set After MSNBC Interview)
“We also know that President Biden has a history of a ruptured brain aneurysm which could predispose him to a certain type of sleep apnea where [h]is brain forgets to breathe during sleep,” said Dr. Joseph Krainin, a medical adviser at SleepApnea.org.
The variant, known as central sleep apnea, occurs when the brain fails to send signals to breathing muscles. Complications include fatigue and cardiovascular problems.
Biden’s sleep apnea came into the spotlight on Wednesday after his CPAP machine left visible marks on his face. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine provides air pressure to help patients with sleep apnea breathe while they sleep, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The Biden administration failed to disclose the president’s sleep apnea on his 2021 and 2023 physical records, which made no mention of the CPAP machine.
“Since 2008, the President has disclosed his history with sleep apnea in thorough medical reports,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told Politico. “He used a CPAP machine … which is common for people with that history.”