Why Treat My OSA?

Why Treat My OSA?

There are three main reasons why we treat OSA:

Social factor: Snoring is frequently a source of distress for both the patient and their bedpartner at night.

Health risks: The drop in oxygen levels at night has been associated with increased risk of high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia(s) and stroke. OSA has been described as causing insulin resistance, which may cause difficulty of glucose control in diabetic patients and achieving weight loss.

Neurocognitive symptoms: While it varies in individual patients and subject to interaction with other ailments such as lack of sleep and psychological comorbidities, it is generally accepted that sleep fragmentation prevents the brain from having complete restorative sleep and may result in daytime sleepiness and drowsiness, deficits in attention, concentration, memory and executive functioning. Worsening of mood symptoms and increased risk of automobile accidents have also been described in association with OSA.