Medical Evaluation and Management of Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
摘要
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by recurrent pharyngeal collapse during sleep, leading to a reduction in airflow, falls in blood oxygen saturation, and arousals from sleep. Recent studies estimate that the worldwide prevalence of OSA has increased by more than 50% over the last few decades, likely due to the rise in obesity levels. Comorbid conditions associated with OSA include hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure among others are also on the rise. Common symptoms of patients with OSA are excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, or lack of energy. While clinical symptoms and symptom-scoring scales are helpful to increase the accuracy of diagnosis, polysomnography is the gold standard for confirmation. Treatment includes behavioral measures such as weight loss, exercise, pharmacological agents for weight loss, and positive airway pressure.