Epidemiology of obstructive sleep apnea: a population-based perspective

Abstract

This review summarizes the recent literature on the epidemiology of adult obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) from various population-based studies. Despite methodologic differences, comparisons have yielded similar prevalence rates of the OSA syndrome in various geographic regions and amongst a number of ethnic groups. Risk factors for OSA including obesity, aging, gender, menopause, and ethnicity are analyzed. We also provide discussion on adverse medical conditions associated with OSA including hypertension, stroke, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiovascular mortality, insulin resistance, and neurocognitive dysfunction. Finally with the progression of the global obesity epidemic, we focus on the economic health care burden of OSA and the importance of recognizing the largely undiagnosed OSA population with emphasis on strategies to improve access to diagnostic resources.

A clinical risk matrix for obstructive sleep apnea using Bayesian network approaches

“…Central sleep apnea is a reduction in the respiratory effort resulting in reduced or absent ventilation, while mixed apnea begins with central apneas that leads to obstructive events [5,22]. In OSA, respiratory effort is maintained but ventilation decreases or disappears because of partial/total occlusion of the upper airway [6,22,23,28,32].…”

“…Recommendations from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine state that OSA is present when AHI ≥ 5. It can be classified as mild (AHI: 5-15), moderate (AHI: [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30], or severe (AHI ≥ 30) [6,7,13,22]. Approximately 30% of the general public is affected by a significant sleep problem, often of long standing [39].…”

Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome with Nasal Positive Airway Pressure Improves Golf Performance

“…It is estimated that over 80% of Americans with OSAS have not been diagnosed or effectively treated. 20 For most patients with significant OSAS, PAP is the most effective modality of treatment. 12 Treatment adherence rates with PAP in clinical practice have been measured to range between 40% and 70%.…”

Perioperative Complications in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients

“…The prevalence of OSA in the adult population is estimated at 6-13 % [1•], though significantly higher rates can be found in patients with type II diabetes, polycystic ovarian disease, and cardiovascular diseases [39]. Patients presenting for elective surgery appear to have higher prevalence rates of OSA than the general population, as supported by limited data.…”