Current challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in the elderly

Abstract

men; however, various clinical studies have reported a much higher incidence in elderly people. The incidence of OSAS in the elderly has been estimated to range between 20% and 60% in those over 65 years. 1-5 To this regard, Ancoli et al 5 analyzed 427 elderly patients and demonstrated that 24% of 65 patients showed a higher apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), that is, higher than or equal to 5, and that 62% had a respiratory disturbance index higher than or equal to 10. 5 In another study by Young et al, 6 which included 5615 men and women between 40 and 98 years of age, sleep apnea was found to be most frequent in subjects aged 60 years or older (approximately 50% had an AHI of 5 to 14, and nearly 20% had an AHI ≥15). 6 Further data were provided by Senaratna et al, 7 who analyzed the increase in the incidence of OSA with age. In the elderly population, 88% of men aged 65 to 69 years had 5 or more events per hour, while that incidence increased to 90% in men aged 70 to 85 years. 7Due to the high incidence of OSAS in older people and considering the increase in the average age of the world population, it is essential to be aware of the diagnosis, classification, and treatment of this disease in elderly patients. 8-10 Here,

The relation of nocturnal exposure to aircraft noise and aircraft noise-induced insomnia with blood pressure

“…The exclusion criteria were: heart failure, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, liver, kidney or respiratory disease, deafness or serious hearing loss, and obstructive sleep apnea [22] as classified by International Classification of Diseases codes. Shift workers were also excluded from the study.…”

Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Biomarker Expression in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients

“…At the end of apneic events, micro awakenings occur, defined as “arousal“ an electroencephalographic alteration of the micro-and macrostructure of sleep. These nocturnal awakenings are associated with autonomic changes with the sympathetic nervous system’s activation, temporary increase in blood pressure, and tachycardia [ 3 , 4 , 5 ].…”

REM-related obstructive sleep apnea and vertigo: A retrospective case-control study

“…OSA should be always suspected in elderly patients who show typical nighttime or daytime symptoms of sleep apnea. PSG is a necessary examination for the diagnosis of OSA in elderly patients [ 7 ].…”