Obstructive sleep apnea (obstructive sleep apnea) is cause by the closing of the upper airway while asleep. The uvula and soft pallet collapses on the back wall of the upper airway. 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. Obstructive sleep apnea does occur even more frequently in people with Down Syndrome than in the general population. A little over 50% of all people with Down Syndrome suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (de Miguel-D�ez, et al 2003), and some physicians advocate routine testing of this group (Shott, et al 2006).

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may also be a cause of fetal compromise, since other disorders associated with maternal hypoxia can lead to adverse fetal outcomes. In this prospective observational study, both polysomnography (PSG) and the nonstress test (NST) were performed in pregnant women whose questionnaire responses suggested symptoms of OSA. Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea is characterized by recurrent episodes of upper airway collapse and obstruction during sleep. These episodes of obstruction are associated with recurrent oxyhemoglobin desaturation and arousals from sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a condition frequently encountered in children, and belongs to a spectrum of diseases called sleep-disordered breathing. Its pathophysiology is related to decreased ventilation despite respiratory effort, leading to episodes of hypopnea and apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is more common than was previously thought. Reported prevalence rates vary widely, and asymptomatic sleep apnea is more common than symptomatic, clinically significant obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome is a common disorder that has recently received much attention by the medical community due to its potentially serious physiological consequences. The clinical significance of OSA results from hypoxemia and sleep fragmentation caused by collapse of the airway, which leads to apnea or hypopnea during sleep.

 

Some of the more serious manifestations of OSA are:

  • weight gain
  • irritabilty
  • fatigue
  • morning headaches
  • attention deficit
  • poor memory
  • increased sick time
  • poor job performance
  • decreased interest in sex
  • hypertension
  • heart disease
  • accidents on the job site
  • accidents while driving

OSA is directly associated with heart diseases:

  • congestive heart failure
  • pulmonary hypertension
  • cardiac arrhythmia
  • ischemic heart disease
  • stroke

It is estimated that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be responsible for 38,000 cardiovascular deaths per year in the United States, and that as many as 95% of OSA sufferers may be undiagnosed.

Sometimes obstructive sleep apnea is hard to diagnose by the sufferer, because some of the symptoms happen while you are sleeping. Your sleeping partner may notice it first, by noticing heavy snoring or long pauses in your breathing during sleep.