Sleep Apnea Screening

About Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?

OSA is a common disorder. It occurs because of upper airway obstructions that can cause you to snore or to stop breathing. Obstructions occur during sleep for two primary reasons: lack of muscle tone and gravity. Excess tissue in the upper airway and anatomic abnormalities compound these factors. During sleep our bodies relax, and muscle tissues like the tongue and soft palate lose their slight rigidity. Because we tend to sleep lying down, gravity pulls these tissues toward the back of the throat and closes the upper airway.

What are the cardinal symptoms of OSA?

· Fatigue and tiredness during the day.

· Loud snoring; if the loud snoring is repeatedly punctuated by brief periods of silence or choking sounds, the individual is certain to have obstructive sleep apnea.

Snoring is commonly associated with OSA. Snoring occurs when the upper airway becomes partially obstructed. As air moves through the limited space, it causes the soft tissues of the throat, uvula, and soft palate to vibrate. These vibrations create the sound we recognize as snoring.

When these tissues obstruct the upper airway completely, they prevent breathing. When breathing stops for 10 seconds or more, it is called an “apnea”. Apneas actually work to suffocate the sleeper. The sleeper wakes up enough to regain control of the upper airway, breathe again, and then fall back to sleep. This happens from dozens to hundreds of times per night for people with OSA, but they usually don't remember waking up.

Each obstructive apnea deprives the body of oxygen and forces it to retain carbon dioxide that it would normally exhale. As a result, the body's blood gases get out of balance, and the body is subjected to a 'toxic' environment. When the body sets off 'alarms' that it needs more oxygen, the brain wakes the sleeper, breathing resumes, and the individual falls back to sleep until the next obstruction occurs. These obstructions increase heart rate, raise blood pressure, and eventually blunt the body's automatic response system.

The brief wake-ups that people with OSA experience also diminish their quality of sleep, resulting in sleep deprivation. The symptoms of sleep deprivation may be what bring most people with OSA to see their physician. Symptoms like excessive daytime sleepiness, poor concentration, poor memory, and even depression are common for people with OSA.

Other common features of OSA:

· Obesity
· High blood pressure
· Depressed mood and/or irritability
· Reduced sex drive and impotence
· Snorting, gasping, choking during sleep
· A dry mouth upon awakening
· Morning headaches
· Intellectual deterioration
· Frequent nocturnal urination (nocturia)
· Confusion and severe grogginess upon awakening
· Restless sleep; repeatedly struggling to breath is associated with movement

How serious is OSA?

Depending on the degree of severity, OSA is a potentially life-threatening condition. Someone who has undiagnosed severe obstructive sleep apnea is likely to have a heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest, or a harmful accident. In addition, awakening to breathe hundreds of times in a single night, causes the victim to become very sleep deprived. There is a constant risk of serious accidents such as falling asleep while driving as well as impaired function in the workplace and in personal relationships. All of the negative consequences of OSA increase as severity increases. Untreated OSA tends to progressively worsen and sooner or later will result in partial or complete disability and death.

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