OSA Sleep Apnea Risk
                     OSA Sleep Apnea Risk
OSA is a disorder characterized by 
continuous partial or complete 
upper airway obstruction during 
sleep. Snoring is the most common 
symptom of OSA.
It can result in impaired cognitive 
function, increased daytime 
sleepiness, cardiovascular problems, 
growth failure in children, depression 
and motor vehicle accidents.
What triggers OSA? Obesity is a 
known risk factor, but what else 
could cause mouth breathing and 
snoring that might lead to sleep 
apnea?
The obstructive sleep apnea risk is well 
known. But what can you do to minimize 
the risk? What are both the main causes of 
OSA sleep apnea risk and also the ways 
that you can work towards reducing your 
risk?
Over one billion individuals worldwide 
experience some form of sleep apnea, and 
the number is rising. Obstructive sleep 
apnea (OSA) can negatively influence 
quality of life (QOL) and potentially 
increase mortality risk.
A team from Pennsylvania State University 
conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis 
looking at 22 studies involving more than 42,099 
patients. Of these, 64% were men and the mean 
age was 62. The studies were geographically 
diverse, coming from North America, Europe, Asia, 
South America and Australia.
The team’s findings showed that “people with 
obstructive sleep apnea had a greater risk of dying 
suddenly and the risk rose as patients aged.
Looking at the risk of all-cause sudden death 
associated with OSA, the relative risk (RR) for those 
with mild OSA was 1.16 (95% CI: 0.70 to 1.93, 
I2=66%), for moderate OSA was 1.72
The advent of reliable, convenient, at-home sleep 
apnea testing ensure that sleep physicians can 
prescribe and diagnose sleep apnea without a 
patient stepping foot in the sleep lab. This 
flexibility allows physicians to detect sleep apnea 
quickly and take the necessary steps to treat this 
growing health concern.
Certainly, sleep apnea diagnosis, 
treatments and interventions can 
help decrease this risk and other 
adverse outcomes are necessary to 
optimize survival and QOL.