About 80-90% Patient remain Undiagnosed for life threatening disease called OSA
June 23,2022Nagpur, June 2022-Obstructive
Sleep Apnea Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder
that involves a decrease or complete halt in airflow despite an ongoing effort
to breathe. It occurs when the muscles relax during sleep, causing soft tissue
in the back of the throat to collapse and block the upper airway. This leads to
partial reductions (hypopneas) and complete pauses (apneas) in breathing that
last at least 10 seconds during sleep. Most pauses last between 10 and 30
seconds, but some may persist for one minute or longer. This can lead to abrupt
reductions in blood oxygen saturation, with oxygen levels falling as much as 40
percent or more in severe cases. The brain responds to the lack of oxygen by
alerting the body, causing a brief arousal from sleep that restores normal
breathing. This pattern can occur hundreds of times in one night.
The result
is a fragmented quality of sleep that often produces an excessive level of
daytime sleepiness. Most people with OSA snore loudly and frequently, with
periods of silence when airflow is reduced or blocked. They then make choking,
snorting or gasping sounds when their airway reopens. A common measurement of
sleep apnea is the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). This is an average that
represents the combined number of apneas and hypopneas that occur per hour of
sleep
Dr
Vivek Gupta,Pulmonologist, Sleep Medicine and Critical Care
Consultant,Criticare Hospital & Research Institute,Nagpur
said that,OSA can occur in any ager group, but prevalence increases between
middle and older age. About 24 percent
of men and nine percent of women have the breathing symptoms of OSA with or
without daytime sleepiness. About 80
percent to 90 percent of adults with OSA remain undiagnosed. OSA occurs in about two percent of children
and is most common at preschool ages.
People who
are overweight (Body Mass Index of 25 to 29.9) and obese (Body Mass Index of 30
and above) are more prone for OSA . Men
and women with large neck sizes: 17 inches or more for men, 16 inches or more
for women and Children with large tonsils and adenoids , often have OSA.
Dr Vivek Gupta,Pulmonologist, Sleep Medicine and Critical
Care Consultant,Criticare Hospital & Research Institute,Nagpur
further added,OSA can lead to
Fluctuating oxygen levels, Increased heart rate , Chronic elevation in
daytime blood pressure , Increased risk of stroke , Higher rate of death due to
heart disease , Impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance , Impaired
concentration and Mood changes and Increased risk of being involved in a deadly
motor vehicle accident
Sleep apnea
must first be diagnosed at a sleep center or lab during an overnight sleep
study, or “polysomnogram.” The sleep study charts vital signs such as brain
waves, heart beat and breathing.
Treatment
options for OSA are
1.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP): CPAP is the standard treatment
option for moderate to severe cases of OSA and a good option for mild sleep
apnea. First introduced for the treatment of sleep apnea in 1981, CPAP provides
a steady stream of pressurized air to patients through a mask that they wear
during sleep. This airflow keeps the airway open, preventing pauses in breathing
and restoring normal oxygen levels. Newer CPAP models are small, light and
virtually silent. Patients can choose from numerous mask sizes and styles to
achieve a good fit. Heated humidifiers that connect to CPAP units contribute to
patient comfort.
2. Oral appliances: An oral appliance is an
effective treatment option for people with mild to moderate OSA who either
prefer it to CPAP or are unable to successfully comply with CPAP therapy. Oral
appliances look much like sports mouth guards, and they help maintain an open
and unobstructed airway by repositioning or stabilizing the lower jaw, tongue,
soft palate or uvula
3. Surgery:
Surgery is a treatment option for OSA when noninvasive treatments such as CPAP
or oral appliances have been unsuccessful. It is most effective when there is
an obvious anatomic deformity that can be corrected to alleviate the breathing
problem.
4.Position
Therapy: A treatment used for patients suffering from mild OSA. Patients are
advised to stay off of the back while sleeping . This is called tennis ball
therapy