USNEWS：阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停：处于危险中的你将何去何从？

Not all people with OSA have symptoms, but most snore and feel tired, fatigued or sleepy during the day. Many have been told they stop breathing at night or snore, snort or gasp themselves awake. Sleep is chronically unrefreshing. People with OSA experience sweats, increased urination and unexplained awakenings at night and headaches, memory and concentration impairment and even sexual dysfunction during the day.

While most people think of men as being more at risk, after menopause women are just as likely to develop OSA. Because women less commonly snore and are more likely to experience fatigue, anxiety or depressed mood, the time to diagnosis is delayed, on average, by nearly a decade. The risk of OSA increases with age and is particularly prevalent in adults over 50.

But it’s not just for adults – 1 to 3 percent of children have OSA. While obesity increases the odds of OSA, enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the primary risk factor in kids. Unlike adults, learning problems and behavioral disturbances are among the most common symptoms of pediatric OSA. In fact, roughly 25 percent of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder actually have OSA and their ADHD symptoms resolve with treatment.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a normal body mass index, don’t think you’re out of the woods. Regardless of age, obesity is not always the cause. Roughly 30 percent of OSA is inherited, and people with the familial form are usually not overweight.

A sleep study is required to confirm the diagnosis of OSA. Testing is done either in a sleep laboratory or at home depending on the number of risk factors and co-existing medical disorders. Home testing is preferred when the risk of OSA is high but significant medical problems absent.

What’s the Buzz?

Sleep often gets neglected by physicians in routine medical visits, and most people don’t think to discuss sleep problems with their doctors. However, early identification and treatment are key. And there is a bright side. Sleep apnea is very treatable and treatment can prevent health consequences – even the serious ones. An increasing number of therapies are available. Doctors may recommend lifestyle changes such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol or changing your sleeping position. When the condition is mild, options include a body pillow or positional device that helps promote sleeping on the side.

The gold standard treatment for moderate-to-severe sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure therapy. The first-line therapy for several decades, PAP is a safe, non-invasive and highly effective treatment for the disorder. But lack of tolerance and acceptance of PAP has left millions of Americans untreated for far too long.

Advances in mask types and pressure modes have salvaged PAP therapy for many. For those who cannot use PAP therapy, other options include oral appliances that advance the lower jaw forward and surgery of the upper airway. But that’s not all. The buzz in the world of sleep apnea is hypoglossal nerve stimulation, the newest surgical therapy for OSA. The small implantable device, named to Cleveland Clinic’s Top 10 Medical Innovations of 2018, stimulates the hypoglossal nerve that controls key upper airway muscles in sleep. Using a remote control, the Food and Drug Administration-approved technology acts like a pacemaker, synchronizing air intake with the action of the tongue using a breathing sensor and a stimulation lead powered by a small battery.

So, if you’re the 1 of 3 and still not diagnosed, I hope you’re motivated to act. Don’t deprive yourself of the one thing that restores and recovers every cell of your brain and body every night. Call your doctor or contact a sleep disorders center. Here’s to a good night’s sleep!

Sweet dreams.