Obstructive Sleep Apnea(OSA) is a complex medical disease that has reached epidemic status in the USA. It was estimated in 2005 that between 12-18 Million Americans suffer from this disease.
Forty percent are not obese, 36% with Type 2 Diabetes have undiagnosed OSA, 63% of these patients with OSA will progress to high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, stroke and even sudden death, as seen in retired NFL star Reggie White whose death was thought to be due to complications of OSA.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OAS)is also widely associated with Bipolar disorder, ADD and many other medical disorders of vague origins. A patient with OSA has a 5 time higher risk for anesthetic complications during surgery as well.
Sleep Apnea is most commonly diagnosed by the symptoms of:
(1) A spouse observing witnessed apnea (no breathing) spells, 
(2) Erratic, loud snoring with “resuscitative” snorts
(3) Daytime hyper-somnolence, napping, falling asleep driving, etc.
The DOT has reported that 1/6 of all motor vehicle accidents are related to sleep deprivation, and OSA patients are 10 times more likely to be involved in a single car accident.
Risk Factors that can lead to sleep apnea:
(1) OBESITY (if the shirt size is 16 inch or larger, there is a 90% chance that person has sleep apnea)
(2) Nasal obstruction from traumatic deformity of the nose, deviated septum, polyps, etc.
(3) Enlarged tonsils and adenoids, with enlarged uvula
(4) Large tongue.
Treatment options in the past have been:
(1)Diet, exercise and medicines but long term success was poor due to the nature of sleep apnea causing daytime tiredness to not want to exercise and lower metabolism with the oxygenation decreasing and not burning off the usual caloric intake.
(2) CPAP machines, long term success rate at one year nationwide is in the 47% success rate.
(3) Surgery, not just UPPP (only about 25% effective) but multilevel surgery including nasal, oral and base of tongue when necessary, with results over 88% effective, and snoring resolution about 78%.
If you or a loved one has these symptoms or other of the associated medical disorders, ask your Physician about ordering an overnight Sleep Study which is the definitive diagnostic test, then consider the proper treatment which is usually a CPAP trial, or referral to a Sleep Specialist if CPAP is ineffective.
