Obstructive sleep apnoea Flashcards
What is it?
Obstructive sleep apnoea is caused by collapse of the pharyngeal airway during sleep. It is characterised by apnoea episodes during sleep where the person will stop breathing periodically for up to a few minutes. This is usually reported by the partner as the patient is unaware of these episodes.
RF?
Middle age
Male
Obesity
Alcohol
Smoking
Features?
Apnoea episodes during sleep (reported by partner)
Snoring
Morning headache
Waking up unrefreshed from sleep
Daytime sleepiness
Concentration problems
Reduced oxygen saturation during sleep
Management?
Referral to an ENT specialist or a specialist sleep clinic where they can perform sleep studies. This involves the patient sleeping in a laboratory whilst staff monitor their oxygen saturations, heart rate, respiratory rate and breathing to establish any apnoea episodes and the extent of their snoring.
The first step in management is to correct reversible risk factors by advising them to stop drinking alcohol, stop smoking and lose weight.
The next step is to use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine that provides continuous pressure to maintain the patency of the airway.
Surgery is another option. This involves quite significant surgical restructuring of the soft palate and jaw. The most common procedure is called uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP).
