There are certain factors that can put individuals at risk for causing obstructive sleep apnea.

1.Male – men are more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea.

2.Age – obstructive sleep apnea commonly occurs in elderly adults.

3.Race – African Americans, Hispanic, and individuals from the Pacific Islands are more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea.

4.Smoking – individuals who smoke are likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea.

5.Diabetes – obstructive sleep apnea common occurs in individuals who have this disease.

6.Menopause – the risk of a woman to develop obstructive sleep apnea  increases  after menopause .

7.Excess weight, areas of fat around the upper airway can cause a obstructive sleep apnea.

8.High blood pressure. obstructive sleep apnea  is fairly common in individuals that suffer from this disorder.

9.Narrowed airway. A naturally narrow throat or enlarged tonsils or adenoids may block an individual’s airway.

10.Neck circumference. Neck size may indicate increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea. A neck circumference of more than 17 inches for men and more than 15 inches for women are a considered to be at increased risk for obstructive sleep apnea.

The cause of Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when the air passage at the back of the throat becomes blocked. When muscles in the throat relax, this causes the soft palate to relax as well, which then narrows the airway. This same course of events also causes snoring, although, not all people who snore have obstructive sleep apnea.

As one breathes in through the mouth or nose, the airway narrows further or completely closes and cuts breath short. The airflow restriction causes a gasping sensation, which prompts a period of shallow wakefulness. While partially awake, normal breathing is restored. This persistent blockage of the airway can happen several times an hour, replaying the course of events through out the night, causing a fragmented night of sleep.

Central Sleep Apnea occurs when your brain fails to send impulses to the body to breath. Central Sleep Apnea takes its name from the Central Nervous System, which regulates the body’s necessary functions. This instability in the brain’s respiratory control center can have several causes, the most common being central nervous system dysfunctions or individuals who have suffered a stroke. People who suffer from heart failure or other heart and lung conditions may also develop Central Sleep Apnea.

Disease Overview

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), is due to some attributable to upper airway obstruction, sleep apnea from time to time, accompanied by hypoxia, snoring, daytime sleepiness and other symptoms of a more complex disease. Occur in the obese, the elderly. Any parts of the upper respiratory tract obstructive lesions can cause OSAS.

OSAS showed snoring loudness is greater than 60dB, prevent those who sleep in the same room of people, and with sleep apnea, apnea index greater than 5; Night-time low oxygen saturation measured values, during the sleep apnea,  the forced breathing movements of chest and abdomen can be seen. In the suffocating nature of the end of the outbreak can be heard a snoring sound, and exhaled a long-winded, and fiberoptic endoscopy and CT, Polysomnography and other auxiliary examination can help diagnose.

Symptoms and signs

More common 40-60 years of age, overweight men, more common in the elderly. Clinical features is loud snoring, short-term asthma and lasted 10 seconds or more of apnea alternating. Nose and mouth breath stoped, but chest and abdominal breathing still exist. Apnea produced a sense of suffocation and accompanying physical activity can be awakened suddenly appeared to fall asleep again after a few breathing. Frequently stand up during sleep or physical movement. Sometimes, suddenly sat up, mouth mutter prayers, suddenly stiff neck while sleeping. During the day time,  feeling tired, sleepy, no spirit, early morning headaches, retardation, as well as memory, attention, common sense and vigilance power drops. , There may be depression, anxiety, irritability, dry mouth, loss of libido and high blood pressure.

Disease etiology

Nasopharyngeal throat abnormalities lead to narrowing of the upper respiratory tract is the main reason of airway obstruction during sleep .

Diagnostic

Polysomnography is the gold standard for diagnosis of this disease. In the night of 7 hours sleep, recurrent apnea for more than 30 times, each time for more than 10 seconds, or apnea-hypopnea index (AHI; refers to the average length of the whole night of sleep apnea and hypopnea per hour, the total number) more than 5 times . Hypopnea refers to more than 50% reduction in respiratory airflow for more than 10 seconds. Sleep apnea common in 1,2 non-REM stages, rare 3,4 stages, most common in REM sleep. Non- REM 3,4  sleep stages shortened, with an average sleep latency often within 10 minutes.

Treatment

Available non-surgical therapy, such as weight loss, side sleep, avoiding alcohol and sedatives before going to bed and so on. Now commonly used and effective therapy is nasal continuous positive airway pressure airway ventilation, sleep wear a face mask and breathing machine connected from the ventilator resulting increase in upper airway pressure on forced air, both in inspiratory or expiratory able to maintain a constant state of pressure, so that the upper airway is kept open to avoid the collapse or obstruction. You can also use different types of oral appliance, put the mandible or tongue forward at the top, Increase in pharyngeal cross-sectional area to increase the breathing gas flow rate.

There are several treatment options for individuals with obstructive sleep apnea. These treatment options include:

1.lose weight
Obesity can cause the airway to be under more pressure than usual and can easily cause the collapse of soft tissue on the airway.

2.Changing sleep positions
Sleeping on your side can also be helpful opposed to sleeping on your back.

3.No alcohol and Stop smoking
Try this can reduce muscle relaxants.

4.Use Oral Appliances
There are various oral appliances that can hold the airways open while you sleep.

5.Try Use CPAP Breathing Machines
There are the CPAP breathing machines that assist some people. CPAP stands for continuous positive pressure. It is a method of ventilation for the respiratory system. In fact, it was specially developed to use in sleep apnea cases.

6.Surgery
Surgery to remove excess tissue from the nose or that causes snoring and/or is blocking the upper air passages causing sleep apnea.