About Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Do you have an interrupted sleeping pattern? Do you wake up in the morning with bad headache? Do you feel sleepy during the day? If your answer to all three questions is ‘yes’, you could be suffering from Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Although these signs may not strike you as a serious problem, you need to know that OSAS could possibly kill you.
OSA is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops & starts during sleep due to obstruction of upper airway. OSA is an epidemic & is increasing as it is closely related to obesity. Prevalence of OSA is 3-10% which may be higher in Punjab. The risk factors for OSA include advanced age, Male Sex, obesity, family History, Smoking and Alcohol consumption. Untreated OSA Leads to be many adverse medical condition like Stroke, Hypertension, Heart failure, Heart attack (CAD), DM (insulin resistance) and Neuro-cognitive dysfunction.
Causes
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a condition characterized by erratic breathing while sleeping. Because of interrupted breathing the oxygen levels in the blood drop significantly. Most cases of OSA are believed to be caused by:
- Old age (natural or premature)
- Brain injury (temporary or permanent)
- Decreased muscle tone
Risk Factors
But there some factors that increase the risk of OSAS:
- Obesity
- Neck circumference greater than 1 inch or 40 cm
- Family history of OSAS
- Alcohol consumption
- Use of sleeping pills
- Sleep deprivation
- Smoking
OSAS also seems to have gender bias. Males are about three-nine times more likely to have OSAS than women. Risk factors for women include obesity and menopause. If left untreated, it can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, Type II diabetes and hypertension. The relation between sleep apnea and heart problems like hypertension, cardiac failure, cardiac rhythm disorders, strokes, dyslipidemias, atherosclerosis and increased platelet. Children with OSA may experience learning and memory deficits and OSA has also been linked to lower childhood IQ scores.
SPS Hospitals introducing facility of SLEEP LAB, SLEEP ENDOSCOPY & COBLATION TECHNOLOGY, to treat OSA (obstructive sleep apnoea).
most of the cases of OSA are undiagnosed and less than 10% of the people know that they are suffering from it. So it is important to recognize e and identify the people suffering from it for early and appropriate treatment. Most common symptom of OSA is heavy snoring followed by day time sleepiness. And other symptoms’ are:
- Awakening with Dry mouth or sore throat.
- Awakening with chest pain.
- Morning headache, difficulty concentrating.
- Experiencing mood change such as depression or irritability.
- Increase chances of Road traffic Accidents and work errors.
In SPS coblation is the latest technology in this field which helps in doing this surgery with minimal blood loss & minimal pain. This includes Tonsillectomy Adenoidectomy, Nasal, Palatal & Tongue base surgeries.
For this SPS Hospitals introduce sleep lab to do, Sleep test (Polysomnography) which is a gold standard diagnostic test for OSA and also sleep Endoscopy in which the level & severity of obstruction is seen endoscopic ally after the patient is put to sleep. OSA can be treated conservatively (CPAP, life style change) or surgically.
This positive pressure acts as a pneumatic splint to hold the upper airway open throughout the entire breathing cycle. It is recommended that the level of positive airway pressure be determined for each patient during a sleep study. By providing a pneumatic splint, the positive pressure prohibits the airway from collapsing, ensuring that air flows freely to the lungs.
Surgical treatment of OSA has always been a challenge but with newer technologies like coblation it is possible. SPS Hospital is happy to introduce coblation which uses radiofrequency energy to treat OSA.
Treatment
Numerous treatment options are used in obstructive sleep apnea. Avoiding alcohol and smoking is recommended, as is avoiding medications that relax the central nervous system (for example, sedatives and muscle relaxants). Weight loss is recommended in those who are overweight. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and mandibular advancement devices are often used and found to be equally effective. Physical training, even without weight loss, improves sleep apnea. There is insufficient evidence to support widespread use of medications or surgery.