Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

It is a syndrome characterized by repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep, causing decreased airflow (hypopnea) and cessation of airflow (apnea). This results in sleep fragmentation with frequent arousals which causes symptoms such as excessive daytime sleepiness, personality changes and mental deterioration.

People with OSAS may not be aware that they have this problem, as they do not usually remember the waking times at night. It is often a sleeping partner or a parent of a child with OSAS that is concerned about the loud snoring and the recurring episodes of apnea that they notice. Daytime sleepiness. This is often different to just being tired. People with severe OSAS may fall asleep during the day, with serious consequences. For example, when driving, especially on long monotonous journeys such as on a motorway.

You need to undergo a simple test called sleep study or polysomnography to detect your OSAS. A sleep study involves overnight monitoring of your sleep related parameters, oxygen levels with the help of small electrodes.

This is the most effective treatment for moderate or severe OSAS. This treatment involves wearing a mask when you sleep. A quiet electrical pump is connected to the mask to pump room air into your nose at a slight pressure. The slightly increased air pressure keeps the throat open when you are breathing at night and so prevents the blockage of airflow. With CPAP there is an immediate improvement in sleep and other symptoms such as daytime fatigue and snoring.