Cecilia Turino, Respiratory Department, Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRB Lleida, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
Manuel Sánchez-de-la-Torre, Respiratory Department, Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRB Lleida, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
Ferran Barbé, Respiratory Department, Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova and Santa Maria, IRB Lleida, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
Obstructive sleep apnea is a chronic disorder that is defined by the presence of recurrent episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep, resulting in nocturnal hypoxemia and sleep fragmentation. Upper airway collapse has been related to genioglossus activity, high loop gain, rostral fluid shift, and arousal threshold. Obstructive sleep apnea affects 10% of adult men and 3% of adult women. However, its prevalence is expected to rise due to the aging population and an increased obesity rate, both of which are related to obstructive sleep apnea development. Obstructive sleep apnea does not target a single organ but, if left untreated, it is a risk factor for arterial hypertension, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, a worse quality of life, and, likely, cancer. Full-night polysomnography is considered the gold standard in diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep disorders, but home testing with portable monitors is a suitable alternative for evaluating patients with high or moderate clinical suspicion for obstructive sleep apnea and without comorbidities. Treatment choice depends on severity and symptoms. Continuous positive airway pressure is the primary treatment in severe obstructive sleep apnea. No clear evidence has supported the recommendation of continuous positive airway pressure treatment in patients with mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea and alternative treatments could be used in these patients. Effective diagnosis and treatment are critical in preventing obstructive sleep apnea-related complications. Nurses and general practitioners should be involved in the management of obstructive sleep apnea patients. In this review, we aim to provide basic information about the risk factors, clinical presentation, and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and to increase familiarity with the disease.
Keywords: Adherence. Cardiovascular risk. CPAP. OSA.
