5 Things to Know About Sleep Apnea

1. What is obstructive sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition when there is a temporary physical disruption of breathing in the upper airway (throat) during sleep. The temporary cessation of breathing can have serious health consequences, such as hypertension, and can increase the risk of stroke and heart attack. It is associated with obesity in adults, a narrow upper airway, or large tonsils. It is estimated that 18 million Americans have sleep apnea and 2 to 4 percent are undiagnosed.

2. What are the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea?
The most common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are snoring and daytime sleepiness, but others also exist. Other symptoms include insomnia or difficulty sleeping, memory loss or trouble concentrating, morning headaches or sore throat, emotional problems, frequent awakening including gasping for breath or choking, irritability, mood changes, anxiety, depression, and falling asleep while driving or during other inappropriate times.

3. How is obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed?
Obstructive sleep apnea must be diagnosed in a sleep lab with an official sleep study called a polysomnogram which monitors the following: heart rate, electric activity of the heart (EKG), blood oxygen level, breathing rate and airflow, movement of extremities, and duration of sleep stages.

4. How is obstructive sleep apnea treated?
Obstructive sleep apnea can be treated with non-surgical or surgical means. Non-surgical includes continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), weight loss or a dental appliance. The CPAP is the most common treatment and is applied via a mask over the nose, nose and mouth, or a nasal canula. CPAP must be fitted in the sleep lab to find the right pressure to keep the airway open. Weight loss should be undertaken regardless of the final treatment option if the patient is obese because of the vast health benefits, along with decreasing the severity of the obstructive sleep apnea. Dental appliances move the lower jaw and tongue forward to remove the airway obstruction. It is more convenient than CPAP but less effective. Patients are usually referred for surgical intervention when more conservative non-surgical interventions have failed. The most common surgery is the uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) which removes the uvula, tonsils and surplus tissue in the throat.

5. Why is it important to diagnose and treat obstructive sleep apnea?
There are serious health consequences if obstructive sleep apnea goes undiagnosed or untreated. Those with OSA have an increased risk of being in a traffic accident and are six times more likely to die in a vehicle accident. Untreated OSA increases the risk of stroke four-fold and triples the heart attack risk. Half of all OSA sufferers also have hypertension. Therefore, be evaluated if any of the above symptoms apply to you or a loved one has complained about your loud snoring.