Obstructive sleep apnoea is a medical condition characterised by interruptions in breathing during sleep due to total or partial obstruction of the upper airways. It is also known as OSAS (Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome)

What is obstructive sleep apnoea?

There are different levels of the disorder: apnoea is when the interruption of breathing ranges from 10 seconds to less than 3 minutes; hypopnoea is when there is a partial reduction in breathing; RERA (Respiratory Effort Related Arousal) is when there is a limitation of breathing with a progressive increase in respiratory effort followed by a sudden release.

The disorder affects men more frequently than women, and in women it is more common after the menopause.

What are the causes of obstructive sleep apnoea?

Certain conditions favour the onset of sleep apnoea:

• obesity/overweight
• obstruction of the upper airways (nose, mouth, throat)
• alcohol abuse before going to sleep
• taking sleeping pills

What are the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea?

Obstructive sleep apnoea sufferers snore very noticeably from the very first stages of sleep (snoring becomes louder and louder until the person stops breathing for a few seconds, only to suddenly start breathing again and begin a new, identical cycle).

There are several symptoms associated with this disorder

• excessive daytime sleepiness
• difficulty in concentrating
• sleep attacks
• headache and/or dry mouth on waking up
• night sweats
• sudden awakenings with choking sensation
• need to urinate at night
• impotence

How to prevent obstructive sleep apnoea?

To prevent the onset of obstructive sleep apnoea, it is advisable to:

• lose weight if you are overweight or obese;
• eat healthily and exercise constantly, even moderately;
• avoid smoking;
• avoid alcohol, especially at bedtime.

Diagnosis

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome occurs when the number of apnoeas is equal to or greater than 5 episodes per hour, or when there are at least 15 or more episodes accompanied by obvious respiratory effort.

The diagnosis is based first of all on the symptoms reported by the patient and the partner. In the event of suspicion, the doctor may subject the subject to instrumental measurements of various parameters through:

• Polysomnography: this consists of measuring, during several hours of sleep at night, the airflow, blood oxygen level, heart rate, thoracic and abdominal respiratory mobility and posture in sleep.
• Respiratory polygraphy (or nocturnal cardio-respiratory monitoring): the examination consists of monitoring the main cardio-respiratory signals during sleep.

Other examinations may be prescribed

• electroencephalogram (to examine the electrical activity of the brain).
• electromyography of the limbs (to examine muscle activity).
• Sleep apnoea, treatments

Patients suffering from sleep apnoea are advised to:

• lose weight if they are obese or overweight;
• avoid alcoholic beverages and sleeping pills;
• sleep on their side;
• treat any disorders of the upper airways.

Pharmacological treatments are aimed at both counteracting the symptoms and correcting the causes of the disorder.

In general, treatment includes

• the use of Cpap (Continuous positive air way pressure): this is a mask that is applied over the nose and mouth and which forces the passage of air, facilitating breathing.
• the use of surgery: this may consist of correcting the deviated nasal septum or removing hypertrophied tonsils, depending on the level and type of obstruction found in the upper airways.

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Source:

Humanitas