User:Mr. Ibrahem/Obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is recurrent episodes of narrowing or blockage of the throat during sleep. Symptoms may include daytime sleepiness, snoring, short periods of interrupted breathing, nighttime urination, and headaches in the morning. Complications may include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and motor vehicle collisions.

Risk factors include being overweight, taking sedatives, large tonsils, smoking, nasal congestion, and family history. The underlying mechanism involves a fall in oxygen levels which results in partial or complete waking. Symptoms are often first noticed by family or friends rather than the person themselves. Diagnosis is based on an apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) of at least 5 per hour as measured by polysomnography or home sleep testing. It is a type of sleep apnea, along with the less common central sleep apnea.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the recommended treatment in those with moderate to severe disease. While it improves daytime sleepiness and quality of life, affects on risk of heart disease or death is unclear. Weight loss and avoiding sedatives are also recommended. Other options may be used in those who cannot tolerate CPAP, including a mandibular advancement device or surgery. Life expectancy is lower among those effected, particularly if they do not tolerate CPAP.

Obstructive sleep apnea is common; affecting about a billion people worldwide. In the United States it occurs in about 34% of middle aged males and 17% of females. It occurs more commonly in those over the age of 40. Some countries limit the ability to drive among those affected until the condition is well controlled. Interest in the condition grew in part from Charles Dickens' novel The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club in 1837; with the link with airway obstruction recognized in the 1960s.