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Obstructive sleep apnea - Highlights

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of obstructive sleep apnea.

Highlights:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder. It occurs when tissues in the upper airways come too close to each other during sleep, temporarily blocking the inflow of air.

Who Is At Risk

Obstructive sleep apnea can develop in anyone at any age but most often occurs in people who are:

Overweight
Male
Age 40 or older
Smokers

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Symptoms of sleep apnea include:

Excessive daytime sleepiness
Morning headaches
Impaired emotional or mental functioning
Snoring

Lifestyle Changes

Patients with sleep apnea may find these lifestyle changes helpful:

Sleep on your side, not your back. Special pillows can help maintain this position.
If you smoke, quit.
Do not drink alcohol within 4 hours of bedtime.
If you are overweight, even a small amount of weight loss may have a beneficial effect on sleep apnea symptoms.

Treatment

The treatment of obstructive sleep apnea depends in part on the severity of the condition. Treatment options include:

Dental devices. Dental devices, also called oral appliances, are custom-made mouthpieces that help position the lower jaw and tongue during sleep. Dental devices may be helpful for mild cases of obstructive sleep apnea.
Breathing devices. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices are the most common treatment for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea. Although these devices can take some time to get used to, they are a very effective treatment.
Surgery. Various surgical procedures may be recommended for very severe cases of obstructive sleep apnea.

Resources

www.sleepapnea.org -- American Sleep Apnea Association
www.aasmnet.org -- American Academy of Sleep Medicine
www.sleepfoundation.org -- National Sleep Foundation
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sleep -- National Center on Sleep Disorders Research
www.sleepeducation.com -- Sleep Education from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

References

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Reviewed last on: 6/23/2009
Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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