Posted on November 2, 2007 in Conditions and Diseases
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) shows episodes of partial and/or complete closure of the upper airway during sleep leading to breathing cessation, defined as > 10 sec.
What causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
- Anatomic abnormalities, such as a receding or diminutive chin
- Narrow airways than average size
- Enlarged tonsils, soft palate and tongue
- Obesity, especially obesity in the neck, can increase the risk of developing OSA, because the fat tissue tends to narrow the airway.
- Obesity may cause obstructive sleep apnea. While a common cause in adults, obesity is a far less common reason for obstructive sleep apnea in children.
- Use of alcohol or tranquilizers causes the neck muscles to relax. These drugs also lower the “respiratory drive” in the nervous system, reducing breathing rate and strength.
- In children, the most common cause of OSA is enlarged tonsils and adenoids in the upper airway.
- A rare cause of OSA in children is a tumor or growth in the airway. Certain syndromes or birth defects, such as Down syndrome and Pierre-Robin syndrome, can also cause obstructive sleep apnea in children.
Other predisposing factors associated with OSA include:
- Family history of OSA, although no genetic inheritance pattern has been proven.
- Smoking, which can cause inflammation, swelling, and narrowing of the upper airway.
Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea:
The signs and symptoms of OSA result from disruption of the normal sleep architecture.
- Loud snoring or noisy breathing during sleep
- Restlessness during sleep with or without periods of being awake
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Falling asleep in a nonstimulating environment, such as while reading in a quiet room.
- Falling asleep in a stimulating environment, such as during business meetings, eating.
- Frequent urination during the night
- Hypertension is prevalent in patients with OSA, although the exact relationship is unclear. It has been shown, however, that treating OSA can modestly lower blood pressure.
- Esophageal reflux and heavy sweating at night
Risks or Complications involved with OSA:
When OSA continues for a long time, it results in the following serious complications.
- Cerebral vascular accidents (strokes)
- OSA can aggravate congestive heart failure by placing stress on the heart during sleep.
- Cardiovascular disease is common in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
- OSA has been shown to cause dilated cardiomyopathy, which is reversible with successful treatment of the sleep disorder.
- The most obvious complication arising from OSA is diminished quality of life brought on by chronic sleep deprivation.
Medication
Many types of treatments both surgical and non surgical, medication, diagonisis are available for obstructive sleep apnea.
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