Obstructive sleep apnea

Abstract

Sleep disorders are characterized by problems with the quality, timing and amount of sleep of a person, which causes various problems with functioning and distress during the daytime. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder that involves a decrease or complete halt in airflow despite an ongoing effort to breathe. Snoring is the most frequent symptom in obstructive breathing during sleep. Daytime hypersomnolence is the usual reason for adult patients to seek medical attention. Diagnostic criteria for OSA of at least 10 apnoeic events per hour. If sleep apnea is mild, these lifestyle changes alone may be recommended. CPAP is considered as a first-line option243 and is extremely useful in reducing symptoms, increasing quality of life and reducing the clinical consequences of sleep apnoea.