Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Breath Interruptions, Disturbed Sleep Patterns

Sleep WELL

Your First Step to Better Rest

Answer a few questions, and we'll tell you if you are at risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Understanding your sleep is the first step towards improving it. Ready to learn more? Book an appointment with our sleep experts.

Snoring or Something More?

 

Do you snore sometimes or have fatigue?  it could be a sign of a serious problem called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). You should not ignore it as regular snoring or fatigue — OSA can have serious health consequences.

 

Your path to restful nights starts right now. We offer valuable insight into OSA. We also guide you on how you can manage OSA. Work with us and start your journey to better sleep today!

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is like a hiccup in your breathing during sleep. When you sleep, your muscles relax. However, in OSA, muscles at the back of your throat relax too much. This leads to a temporary blockage of the airway. This blockage pauses your breathing, often lasting for several seconds or, in severe cases, even minutes. When your brain feels that there is not enough oxygen, it wakes you up. This is called “micro awakening”. These disruptions in breathing have a significant impact on your sleep.

What are the Symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?

  • Loud snoring
  • Episodes of breathing cessation
  • Choking or gasping
  • Restless sleep
  • Excessive daytime sleepiness
  • Morning headaches
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability and mood changes
  • Decreased libido
  • Frequent urination at night
  • Dry Mouth or sore throat

WHAT HAPPENS?

if OSA is left Untreated?

The effects of OSA extend beyond drowsiness. Untreated OSA increases your chances of developing:

High Blood Pressure

OSA episodes lead to spikes in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This causes persistent elevation in mean blood pressure levels throughout the night. Some patients can even have high blood pressure during the day when breathing is normal. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that individuals having 15 OSA episodes per night were 2.89 times more likely to have high blood pressure.

Heart disease

A study including 6,424 OSA patients reported that 16% of the patients had at least one heart disease such as angina, stroke, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization procedure.

Diabetes Mellitus

A study that included 1387 patients reported that patients who had OSA were 4 times more likely to have diabetes mellitus.

How is OSA diagnosed?

The diagnosis of OSA includes various steps. First, your doctor will perform a physical examination and ask you about your symptoms, sleep patterns, and overall health. Next, our Sleep Quiz can help track your sleep habits, daytime sleepiness, and other relevant symptoms. Polysomnography is the standard test to diagnose OSA in a sleep clinic or lab. It monitors various physiological parameters during sleep, including brain activity, eye movement, heart rate, muscle activity, respiratory effort, airflow, and blood oxygen levels. The data collected can help healthcare professionals assess the severity and nature of sleep apnea.

How can OSA be treated?

If you are diagnosed with OSA, don’t worry! There are effective treatments available that will let you sleep again and get your health back.

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)

A CPAP machine generates positive airway pressure while you sleep to make sure your airway passage is not blocked. You have to wear a mask over the nose or both the nose and mouth. A CPAP machine will deliver a continuous stream of air through a hose to a mask while you sleep.

BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure)

For patients who are not comfortable with CPAP, BiPAP is an alternative. BiPAP provides two different levels of pressure including inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) and expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP). IPAP is the higher pressure applied during inhalation to help open the airway whereas EPAP is the lower pressure applied during exhalation. This way positive pressure is maintained which ensures that the airway does not collapse during sleep.

Oral Appliance Therapy

There are different types of oral appliances for OSA. Mandibular advancement devices (MADs) help keep the airway tract open by moving the jaw forward. Tongue-stabilizing devices (TSDs) move the tongue forward to clear the airway. Rapid maxillary expansion (RME) devices, mostly used in children, expand the width of the roof of the mouth to clear the airway.

Lifestyle Changes

There are a few lifestyle modifications that you should try. These include weight loss, avoiding alcohol or sedatives before bedtime, and sleeping on your side instead of your back. These small changes can help you breathe easier while you sleep.

CLINICAL TREATMENT DEVICES

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)

BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure)

Mandibular Advancement Device

  • Young T, Peppard PE, Gottlieb DJ. Epidemiology of obstructive sleep apnea: a population health perspective. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002;165(9):1217-1239.
  • Slowik JM, Sankari A, Collen JF. Obstructive Sleep Apnea. [Updated 2022 Dec 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459252/
  • Chung F, Yegneswaran B, Liao P, Chung SA, Vairavanathan S, Islam S, et al. STOP-Bang questionnaire: a practical approach to screen for obstructive sleep apnea. Anesthesiology. 2008;108(5):812-821.
  • Dopp, J. M., Reichmuth, K. J., & Morgan, B. J. (2007). Obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension: mechanisms, evaluation, and management. Current hypertension reports, 9(6), 529–534. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-007-0095-2
  • Peppard, P. E., Young, T., Palta, M., & Skatrud, J. (2000). Prospective study of the association between sleep-disordered breathing and hypertension. The New England journal of medicine, 342(19), 1378–1384. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM200005113421901
  • Reichmuth, K. J., Austin, D., Skatrud, J. B., & Young, T. (2005). Association of sleep apnea and type II diabetes: a population-based study. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 172(12), 1590–1595. https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200504-637OC
  • Shahar, E., Whitney, C. W., Redline, S., Lee, E. T., Newman, A. B., Nieto, F. J., O’Connor, G. T., Boland, L. L., Schwartz, J. E., & Samet, J. M. (2001). Sleep-disordered breathing and cardiovascular disease: cross-sectional results of the Sleep Heart Health Study. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 163(1), 19–25. https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm.163.1.2001008

Want to Figure Out if You Have Sleep Apnea? Take the STOPBANG Quiz!

Answer this brief survey to know if you have OSA. Answer "yes" or "no" to each question

Snoring:

Do you always snore loudly and deeply?

Tired:

Do you feel tired even after sleep?

Observed Apneas:

Has anyone mentioned that you stop or pause breathing while sleeping

Pressure:

Do you have or are being treated for High Blood Pressure?

BMI:

Over 35 body mass index (BMI)?

Age:

Are you over 50 years old?

Neck:

MEN: Is your shirt collar 17 inches/43 cm or larger?
WOMEN: Is your shirt collar 16 inches/41 cm or larger?

Gender:

Are you male?