What does CPAP stand for? Joe Biden’s sleep apnea-related marks trigger online speculation

US President Joe Biden suffers from sleep apnea. It refers to a medical condition wherein breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep. Now aged 80, the oldest President in American history was recently captured with marks on his face that are consistent with using a CPAP machine.

CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and is a medical device used to help with sleep apnea.

On Wednesday, June 28, CPAP marks on Joe Biden's face were easily visible, thus raising online speculations. A White House spokesperson named Andrew Bates (Deputy Press Secretary) has now confirmed the speculations to BBC and stated:

“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.”

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Joe Biden has been using a CPAP machine for several weeks

When reporters outside the White House spotted marks on Joe Biden’s face and caught the same on camera, the President’s officials had to release a medical announcement confirming that the marks came from the CPAP mask that helps him breathe at night. The officials also admitted that the President has been using a CPAP device for the past several weeks to improve his quality of sleep.

A CPAP machine gently pumps air into a mask that is placed over the mouth and nose during sleep. It helps in keeping the airways open and normalizes breathing.

While Biden’s sleep apnea has been known since 2008, his recent medical records reveal that he has had many sinus and nasal passage surgeries since 2019, as confirmed by Andrew Bates, who has also said that Biden suffers from asthma and always carries an inhaler with him.

The rising interest in Biden’s health comes amidst the ongoing 2024 re-election campaign. Here’s how the internet reacted to Biden’s face marks from the CPAP mask straps.

Despite an overall curiosity about the origin of the marks, most seemed to be critical about the media zero-ing down on the same, given that sleep apnea is a fairly common condition and it is well-known that it can be remedied with a CPAP.

A tweet reporting about Joe Biden's sleep apnea. (Image via Twitter/Sprinter)

A Twitter user questions why Joe Biden's sleep apnea was not reported during his last medical exam. (Image via Twitter/Samantha Tango)

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Approximately 30 million Americans have sleep apnea

According to the American Medical Association, over 30 million Americans, including President Joe Biden, currently suffer from sleep apnea. However, only 6 million are properly diagnosed.

Studies show that sleep apnea primarily affects those aged between 30 and 70 years, and is more common in men than in women.

Sleep apnea happens to be one of the most common sleep-related disorders, with more than a billion people affected around the globe. Sources cite that the condition worsens with age, although it is mainly diagnosed in younger adults.

According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, there are two kinds of sleep apnea. The most common type is OSA or Obstructive Sleep Apnea, which occurs when throat muscles relax and block airflow to the lungs. The second type is CSA or Central Sleep Apnea which happens when the brain fails to send signals to the muscles that control breathing during sleep.

Some of its symptoms include a temporary pause in breathing during sleep, gasping for oxygen during sleep, excessively loud snoring, frequent urination during sleep, dry mouth, headache, lower s*xual drive, and fatigue even after a whole night’s sleep.

Its consequences are poor memory, lack of concentration, lower attention span, and severe and frequent exhaustion.

It is in case of serious sleep apnea, that doctors prescribe using a CPAP device and mask to decrease the risk of fatal attacks such as strokes and cardiac arrests during sleep.