What Is Apnea?
2. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition where there is decreased airflow despite breathing. It is the commonest sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) characterized by recurrent collapse of upper airways during sleep. These episodes cause the patient to wake up repeatedly resulting in poor sleep quality and fatigue in the daytime.
Although common, it is underrecognized by most primary care practitioners with an estimated of 80% of Americans being undiagnosed. Episodes of apnea can occur 1 to 2 times per minute resulting in hundreds of episodes every night. In severe OSA, there can be decreased oxygen saturation and wide swings in heart rate. In sleep apnea, the cardinal symptoms are snoring, significant other reporting of apnea episodes, and sleepiness.
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