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Essay On Sleep Apnea

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One of the most common types of sleep apneas is obstructive sleep apnea. It is identified by recurrent episodes of partial or complete upper airway blockage during sleep. The upper airway and the throat collapse during sleep and the patient loses breath for seconds then the throat reopens when the patient awakes. (1) In addition, the diaphragm and chest muscles increases their respiratory efforts against the airway obstruction, which results in snoring and loud gasps. (2)
Two common signs characterize obstructive sleep apnea. First, snoring that is loud and regular to the patient. Second, daytime sleepiness, which is the inability of remaining fully awake during daytime that results in fatigue and falling asleep during the day. Other symptoms that are less frequent include fragmented sleep, sensation of chocking and sore throat after awakening, poor concentration, morning headaches, irritability and depression. (3) The diagnosis of OSA is made through a polysomnography (PSG), which is an in-laboratory test that monitors the oxygen level, brain waves activity, and breathing patterns of the patient during sleep. After the PSG, a differential diagnosis is made to eliminate other sleeping …show more content…
One complication is cardiac problems, which are caused due to a strain in the heart from the drop in blood oxygen level that occur during obstructive sleep apnea. (8) Cardiac complications include arrhythmia, which is an abnormal, quick heartbeat that could be life threatening. (12) Moreover, coronary artery disease, heart attack, and heart failure are other cardiac problems, which occur due to the diminished ability of the heart to pump blood for the lack of oxygen. This results from the increased blood pressure during sleep to transport oxygen to parts of the body when there are low oxygen levels. (8) Furthermore, daily fatigue, depression, and memory loss are other problems triggered by obstructive sleep apnea.

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