OSA Obstructive Sleep Apnea symptoms

People with OSA experience frequent, repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. Some experience hundreds of these in a night. And, while the person may be completely unaware of these gaps, their partner will often notice and become alarmed.

During these breathing gaps, people receive less air, which causes their blood oxygen levels to drop. While these levels will generally return to normal once regular breathing starts again, frequent breathing gaps can pose serious health concerns. This is why OSA is something you can’t ignore.

Depending on the severity of the condition, other symptoms may occur, including:

Loud snoring, snorting, gasping, or choking during sleep
Night sweats
Nocturia (nighttime urination)
Nighttime acid reflux
Dry mouth when awakening
Insomnia
Headaches
Irritability
Memory problems
Depression
Low sex life
Weight gain

If you have OSA, a person sleeping with you may notice you snore loudly, snort or make a choking sound when you start breathing again after a breathing pause. These symptoms may happen less often or go unnoticed in women with OSA. Other symptoms include:

More than usual daytime sleepiness
Waking up with a dry throat or headache
Waking up often during the night
Difficulty concentrating or mood changes during the day
Talk to your doctor if you experience symptoms of sleep apnea. The diagnosis of a sleep disorder such as OSA requires a sleep study done in a sleep lab or at home. A diagnosis will determine if your OSA is mild, moderate, or severe based on the average number of times you stop breathing each hour during sleep.

Studies suggest that having OSA raises the heart rate and increases blood pressure, placing stress on the heart. This may be because apneas frequently reduce blood oxygen levels, activating the branch of the nervous system responsible for increasing heart performance. In addition, levels of chemicals in the blood that cause inflammation and promote elevations in blood sugar rise. Such inflammation can damage the heart and blood vessels. 1, 2 Both hypertension and diabetes increase the risk for heart disease, and the likelihood of being diagnosed with one of these illnesses increases as a result of OSA.

Hypertension
High blood pressure is a common chronic medical condition. It afflicts over 40% of people between the ages of 50 and 60 years of age in the United States. OSA is a risk factor for the development of hypertension.3 Approximately 50% of those with sleep apnea have hypertension. In fact, elevated blood pressure might be the only clue that a person has OSA. Fortunately, treatment of OSA may result in better control or even resolution of hypertension.

Heart Disease
Coronary artery disease occurs in 67% of the adult population of the United States. It frequently results in heart attacks and premature death. Evidence indicates that OSA might be a risk factor for future heart attacks or angina pectoris (chest pain related to blockage of blood vessels supplying the heart), and middle-aged men might be at particular risk

Stroke
Having a stroke can be a devastating event, with the potential for severe disability or death. OSA might be a risk factor for having a stroke (see Figure 4), and recovery after a stroke might be delayed in people with OSA.5 Conversely, people who have had a stroke are more at risk of developing OSA.

Diabetes Mellitus
Coinciding with the increase in obesity in the United States, more and more people are developing type 2 diabetes. Research indicates that blood sugar (glucose) levels are higher among people with OSA. However, it appears that treatment of OSA may improve blood sugar levels.

Premature Death
Because OSA is associated with a number of chronic medical conditions, not surprisingly, several studies have shown an association between OSA and increased likelihood of premature death.
Middle-aged men appear to be at greatest risk, with the cause of death most commonly related to cardiovascular disease.

Sleepiness
Many people with OSA are excessively sleepy during the daytime. This can make it difficult to work, and can even lead to job loss. If you have OSA you might fall asleep while driving a car, watching television, reading, talking on the telephone, or even while eating a meal. People with OSA might not complain of sleepiness; they just think that they are “slowing down” and getting more tired as they get older.

Depression and Memory Problems
Depression is very common in people with untreated OSA. Frequently, people are treated for depression for years before anyone realizes that OSA is causing the depression. People with OSA can also have memory problems, difficulty concentrating, amnesia of events, and slower reaction times.

Impact on Family and Friends
OSA can have a major impact on family and friends. Depression makes it hard to maintain relationships, and people with OSA are less likely to engage in social activities, especially physical exercise, because they are too tired. Because of the loud, bothersome snoring associated with OSA, spouses or bed partners might choose to sleep in separate bedrooms. For men, OSA can also lead to problems with impotence, although this can be the motivation for getting a physical evaluation.

Diagnosis Sleep Apnea

Based on the findings, the doctor may recommend an overnight sleep study, also known as level 1 polysomnography or a home sleep test. Considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of OSA, the test involves connecting you to sensors that monitor your temperature, heart rate, brain waves, breathing rate and depth, nasal and mouth airflow, and body movements during sleep.1

Risk Factors
You should also suspect OSA if you have risk factors for the disorder. People of any age, sex, or weight can have OSA, but it is much more common in people who:

Are obese
Are male
Are over 50 years of age
Smoke cigarettes
Sleep on their back
Regularly use alcohol or sedatives (medications for sleep and anxiety)
Have enlarged tonsils or adenoids
Have hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland)
Have had a stroke
Have certain head and face features contributing to narrow upper airway”
Have a neck circumference of 17 inches or more for a male or 16 inches or more for a female