Obstructive Sleep Apnea
What is it?
Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder in which a blockage in the throat or upper airway causes the sleeping person to repeatedly stop breathing, which is called apnea.
Who gets it?
Obstructive sleep apnea is usually seen in obese people, more often men than women. However, it can also be an inherited condition.
What causes it?
Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a blockage in the throat or upper airway. In the case of obesity, it usually occurs because the excess weight narrows the upper airways. Breathing and cardiac conditions also associated with obesity can complicate the condition. When several members of the same family have obstructive sleep apnea, they may have an inherited condition in which the throat and upper airway are abnormally narrow.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are snoring, gasping for breath, choking, short pauses in normal breathing patterns, and sudden awakening when sleeping. During the day, you may have headaches and feel extremely drowsy because you do not sleep well at night. In severe cases, obstructive sleep apnea can eventually lead to heart failure and pulmonary complications because the lungs can’t provide enough oxygen to the blood, or remove enough carbon dioxide.
How is it diagnosed?
Your doctor will perform a sleep study. This is a painless test in which you stay overnight in a hospital sleep study laboratory. While you sleep, monitors register functions such as heart rate, respiratory rate, airflow, and blood oxygen levels. A audiovisual system also records snoring and body position.
What is the treatment?
The first line of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is to remove the risk factors for this condition. This includes a weight loss program, if necessary, and avoiding smoking and the excessive use of alcohol, which can depress the body systems and aggravate obstructive sleep apnea. Sleeping on the side instead of the back also helps reduce upper airway obstruction. If these treatments don’t help, you may need continuous positive airway pressure
(CPAP). With this treatment, an oxygen mask or nasal tube is worn at night to keep the airways open with an appropriate amount of oxygen. In very severe cases, doctors might perform a surgical procedure to widen the upper airway.
Self-care tips
Obstructive sleep apnea caused by obesity can be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle. If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, follow your doctor’s recommendations for weight loss and sleeping positions to relieve the symptoms. If your treatment includes continuous positive airway pressure, make sure you use the oxygen whenever sleeping to keep oxygen and carbon dioxide at normal levels.
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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