Obstructive Sleep Apnea Brochure

An Outreach Project by Rebecca Hanley | Return To Outreach Projects 2010

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The following is a brochure created for Stanford Sleep and Dreams. If it is difficult to read using the images, you may view the full text here.

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What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a serious, life threatening disorder, which is generally not understood or taken seriously.
~ Originates from the Greek term - Apnea- absence of breathing.

The definition of a Sleep apnea episode is a cessation of airflow at the nose or mouth lasting 10 seconds or longer, occurring during sleep and terminating once awoken.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) was coined by 20th century physician William Osler.

Although the condition had been around it was only recognized as a disease in the 1960's.

Obstructive sleep apnea - the absence of airflow through the nose and mouth despite persistent and increasing efforts to breathe.

Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

-The prevalence of OSA was found through polysomnographic testing within clinical sleep laboratories. -OSA affects all age groups of both sexes.

24% of adult males & 9% of all females.

Prevalence increases with age!

Most prevalent in people who snore loudly.

Overweight

People with thick or large necks due to smaller airways.

Swollen tonsils cause baby OSA.

More prevalent in men, African Americans, Hispanics and Pacific Islander

Consequences of OSA on health

Non-restorative sleep,

Personality changes,

Decreased memory,

Erectile dysfunction

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Depression

High blood pressure

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Mortality

DROWSY DRIVING!

Obstructive Sleep Apnea - Symptoms

People who experience OSA tend to have smaller upper airways. This characteristic has a huge effect on OSA. As the size of the airway reduces due to small jaw, tonsils, fatty tissue, or other anatomical factors, airway resistance increases. As the resistance is increased, patients must put forth a greater effort to maintain adequate air exchange. The greater effort through a smaller airway causes the relaxed muscles and throat tissues closed. The airway collapses and initiates an obstructive sleep episode. Luckily, many times the airways do not completely collapse and a person experiences a hypopnea. A hypopnea is when blood oxygen falls while efforts continue to increase. The apnea is then terminated by arousal.

The terminated airflow through the nose and mouth leads to numerous amounts of arousals throughout the night as well as an inability to achieve deeper states of sleep. These in turn leads to excessive daytime sleepiness, SNORING, dry mouth, headaches, restlessness, and awakenings due to choking or gasping. Many people do not diagnose themselves however, their bed partner does. Patients rarely complain about numerous arousals, however this effects how they live everyday and what risk they are in. The lack of sleep causes people with OSA to fall asleep throughout the day while reading or even driving a car. DROWSINESS IS RED ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Treatments

If you suspect you have OSA there are ways to treat it, so do not panic. First, go see your physician or a sleep doctor. The first successful treatment was 1969's chronic tracheostomy. In recent years this ahs been replaced with:

Non-surgical treatments:

-Continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP)-provides a "pressure splint" to the upper airway. Prevents inspiratory effort and causes throat to collapse.
Radio Frequency Reduction- A relatively new approach to treating OSA is using radio frequency to shrink the nasal turbinates, the uvula or the tongue.
Surgical Treatments

-Uvulopalatopharynoplasty (UPPP)- used with moderate and severely ill patients. The uvula and portions of the posterior soft palate, anterior and posterior tonsillar pillars are cut out. A relatively new approach to treating OSA is using radio frequency to shrink the nasal turbinates, the uvula or the tongue.

Contact information-www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_apnea.html
Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic- 300 Pasteur Drive, Palo Alto CA, 94304
Call-1-650-723-6601