OSA Full Form- Obstructive Sleep Apnea

What is OSA? The full form of OSA is Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The hallmarks of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are bouts of total or partial airway collapse accompanied by a drop in oxygen saturation or an increase in arousal from sleep. Sleep that is fragmented and nonrestorative is the outcome of this disruption. OSA significantly affects mental health, driving safety, quality of life, and cardiovascular health.  Sleep that is fragmented and nonrestorative is the outcome of this disruption. Additional signs and symptoms include increased daytime tiredness, heard apneas during sleep, and loud, noisy snoring.  OSA significantly affects mental health, driving safety, quality of life, and cardiovascular health. The pathophysiology of pharyngeal closure and narrowing during sleep is probably complex and involves a number of factors. 

Management and Treatment of OSA

Lifestyle Changes- In individuals with OSA who are overweight or obese, the significance of losing weight should be highlighted. Losing weight is usually not curative, but it is advised and can often lessen the severity of obstructive sleep apnea. Patients should emphasise getting a minimum of seven to eight hours of sleep every night and be informed about the relationship between sleep duration and health. 

Positional Therapy- A positioning device to keep the patient on their side is one approach for treating OSA that is more noticeable when the patient is supine.

Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) Therapy: For adults, continuous positive airway pressure, or PAP, is the most successful treatment. Patients that require higher pressure settings (more than 15 cm H2O) also tolerate Bilevel PAP (BPAP) better. The strong efficacy of PAP in preventing respiratory episodes is, however, undermined by poor adherence and reduced usage of the medication when sleeping.

Oral Appliance- Mandibular advancement devices (MAD), which are specially designed and titrated oral appliances, can be used to move the lower jaw forward and relieve airway obstruction in patients who are unable or unable to use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or who will not have reliable access to power.