What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
OSA afflicts 20 million adult men and women in the U.S. People who have OSA stop breathing repeatedly during sleep because the airway collapses. Airway collapse may be due to such factors as a large tongue, extra tissue in the airway, or decreased muscle tone holding the airway open. As a result, air is prevented from getting into the lungs.
These pauses in breathing can happen 30 times or more per hours. When healthy sleep is interrupted in this way, it puts a strain on the heart and can lead to a number of serious health conditions.
How do I know if I have OSA?
OSA can occur in men, women and children of all ages and sizes. Most people who have OSA do not realize they suffer from the condition. Often, it is someone else who witnesses the first signs of OSA.
If you or someone you know snores regularly and has one or more of the following symptoms, it may be OSA. Check all of the following that apply, and share this list with your doctor.
Key signs and symptoms include:
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Loud or disruptive snoring
Gasping or choking during sleep
Other common symptoms include:
Grogginess and morning headaches
Frequent urination at night
Depression and irritability
Obesity
Large neck or crowding of the upper airway
Post-menopausal women
Visit the Lung Assoc website and take the sleepiness test to see if you may be suffering from a sleep disorder
What happens if I have OSA and I don't treat it properly?
People who do not seek diagnosis and effective treatment for OSA can be at risk for:
High blood pressure
Irregular heart rhythms or heart disease
Heart attack
Stroke
Increased likelihood of driving or work-related accidents
How is OSA Diagnosed?
Discuss sleep complaints and symptoms with your doctor.
If a sleep disorder is suspected, your doctor will refer you to a sleep specialist for evaluation.
An overnight diagnostic sleep study, known as a polysomnogram, or PSG, is used to determine the type and severity of the sleep disorder, as well as appropriate treatment.
What is the treatment for OSA?
Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy is the treatment of choice for OSA.
PAP therapy provides a gentle flow of air pressure through your nose using a mask.
The air pressure prevents airway collapse, allowing you to breathe freely while you sleep.
PAP therapy is noninvasive and can alleviate the symptoms of OSA when used as prescribed.
CPAP - The Treatment of Choice
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the most commonly used PAP therapy
CPAP provides a continuous stream of air pressure to keep your airway open.
Some Respironics CPAP systems feature C-Flex?, which lowers the pressure slightly as you begin to exhale for added comfort.
Alternative Treatments
Bi-level PAP (with a BiPAP? machine) may be prescribed for severe cases of OSA.
Auto-PAP (auto-adjusting CPAP or BiPAP) adjusts the pressure as you sleep according to your needs.
