Normal	Obstructed

OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) occurs when the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, causing cessation of breathing (apnea) or inadequate breathing (hypopnea) and sleep fragmentation. This condition results in disruption of sleep patterns and causes excessive sleepiness or fatigue during the day.

How is Sleep Apnea diagnosed?

Your doctor will examine you and ask you and possibly your bed partner questions about your lifestyle, snoring, sleep behavior, and how tired you feel during the day. If your doctor thinks you may have sleep apnea, he or she may suggest a sleep study. Sleep studies find out how often you stop breathing or have shallow breathing and how much oxygen you have in your blood during sleep. An overnight sleep study is the only way to determine if snoring is benign or it is a sign of obstructive sleep apnea.

How is Sleep Apnea treated?

If you have mild sleep apnea, you may be able to treat it on your own by losing weight, developing good sleep habits, and avoiding alcohol and certain medicines before bed. If you have mild or moderate sleep apnea you may be a candidate for a mouthpiece. Only a sleep specialist can help you decide what is appropriate for you.

If you have moderate to severe sleep apnea, you may need to use a breathing device called a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) that prevents your airway from closing during sleep.

What is the Link Between OSA and Hypertension

The Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7). The JNC 7 guidelines for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, the committee listed Sleep Apnea as a known cause of hypertension and recommended that when working with a newly diagnosed hypertension patient or a patient with resistant hypertension, the physician should consider screening the patient for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

What is the Link Between OSA and Heart Failure

• CHF affects 1.5-2% of the population

• There is a high prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in patients with CHF (~40-50%)

• Heart Attack

• Many of the mechanisms in OSA may play a role in patients with heart failure

• Sexual dysfunction

What are the health consequences of untreated Sleep Apnea?

Near Term

• Automotive Accidents (sleep-related accidents comprise 15-20% of all motor vehicle crashes)

• Excessive Sleepiness

• Neurocognitive and Performance Deficits

• Decreased Quality of Life

Long Term

• Hypertension

• Heart Disease

• Heart Attack

• Arrhythmias

• Stroke