Management of OSA Flashcards
Describe what causes OSA
OSA occurs when airways collapse.
Airway obstruction usually occurs in oropharynx i.e. is retropalatal and retroglossal.
OSA is caused by:
- Factors that Increase Compliance of Tube
- a reduction in transmural pressure
Describe the factors that increase the compliance of the tube
-
Reduction in Longitudinal Tension of the Tube
- Reduction of lung volume (e.g., due to central obesity)
-
Suppression of Pharyngeal Muscle Activation (Reduces Airway Tone)
- Alcohol, sleep deprivation, anaesthesia
- note that some people only have it with alcohol consumption
- Alcohol, sleep deprivation, anaesthesia
Describe the factors that result in reduced transmural pressure
A Reduction in Transmural Pressure (P tm) is Due to
A. Increase in Surrounding Tissue Pressure (P tissue) or
B. Decrease in Intraluminal Pressure (P lumen)
Increase in Surrounding Tissue Pressure
- Rigid box too small: bordered by mandible (anterior and lateral walls) and cervical spine (posterior wall)
- neck and jaw posture also influence the size of the box
- neck flexion closes airway
- neck extension opens it
- jaw opens slightly : increases size of box
- jaw opens wide: decreases size of box by moving genu of mandible posteriorly
Too Many Other Things in the Box
- Soft palate (muscle and fat)
- Tongue (muscles and fat)
- Muscles (posterior constrictors and oropharyngeal muscles)
- Tonsils (lymphoid tissue)
- Adipose tissue (parapharyngeal fat pads)
-
- Note: Edema (e.g. due to inflammation and tissue swelling) resulting from OSA can therefore make OSA worse
Position of Tongue and Soft Palate
- Affected by gravity and surface tension
- Mouth opening - decreases mucosal surface tension, thus freeing mucosal attachment of tongue and soft palate, allowing tongue and soft palate to move posteriorly
- Sleeping supine causes gravity to pull the tongue and soft palate posteriorly
Describe the factors resulting in a decrease in intraluminal pressure
- Nasal obstruction
- Airway obstruction due to
- Loss of energy due to work done in overcoming flow resistance, and
- The Bernoulli effect
- Conversion of energy from static to kinetic due to increased velocity of airflow when the lumen size decreases
Describe the relevant questions to ask regarding the history of presenting illness
- Symptoms of OSA
- Are due to the direct effect of airway closure and narrowing
- Indirect effects
- Resulting from the indirect effects
Describe the sources of OSA symptoms
- direct effects
- indirect effects
Describe symptoms due to direct effects
- Snoring
- Apnoea
- Sore throat
(Wheezing due to obstruction or soft tissue vibration)
Describe symptoms due to indirect effects
- Choking and gasping arousals
- Nocturnal palpitations
- Nocturnal hypertension
- Nocturia
- Poor sleep
- Nocturnal GORD
What are the results of the indirect effects?
- Unrefreshing sleep
- Daytime sleepiness (may result in problems with memory and concentration, involuntary naps, poor job performance, MVA, work-related accidents)
- Mood disorders
- Morning headache
- Family discord
List some questions to ask regarding duration and severity of symptoms
- For how long have they had the symptoms? ^[many put up with symptoms]
- Why are they seeking intervention now?
- Is there any other association (e.g., weight gain) with symptom onset or an increase in symptom severity?
Which questionnaire is used to assess the severity of daytime sleepiness?
Epworth sleepiness scale.
A score of 11 or more indicates a sleeping disorder such as obstructive sleep apnoea.
A very high score such as 17 can indicate narcolepsy.
Which diseases are important to inquire about in the past medical history?
- Those that can exacerbate OSA
- Those that can increase the adverse health risks of OSA
- Those that may be exacerbated by OSA
- Those that interfere with treatment
- Those that may result in other forms of sleep-disordered breathing (e.g., central sleep apnea resulting from cardiac failure)
- Those that may mimic symptoms of OSA (e.g., choking arousals from GORD), or by causing similar daytime symptoms)
List conditions that can exacerbate OSA
- Anything that causes weight gain (e.g., hypothyroidism, or conditions that reduce mobility and ability to exercise), or requires medications that cause weight gain (e.g., corticosteroids, some anti-epileptics, some anti-psychotics)
- Hypothyroidism also causes myxoedema which can exacerbate OSA. It also results in daytime symptoms that can be similar to those resulting from OSA.
- Anything that causes nasal obstruction (e.g., hayfever)
- Anything that results in craniofacial abnormality
List conditions that can increase adverse risks of OSA
- Conditions that result in nocturnal hypoventilation can cause worse overnight O2 desaturation and increase the risk of pulmonary hypertension (e.g., COPD, Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome)
- Hypertension, diabetes, elevated cholesterol increase the cardiovascular risks associated with OSA
List conditions exacerbated by OSA
- Afib
- Hypertension
- Obesity
- GORD
- CVA
- IHD and cardiac failure
- Depression (this may, however, also cause daytime sleepiness)