ABSTRACT: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an ever-increasing problem affecting millions of people in the United States. The prevalence of OSA has risen drastically over the past few decades concurrently with the increasing prevalence of obesity. Subsequently, there has been an ever-increasing rise in the use of CPAP. While there are many adverse effects to the use of CPAP, the majority are described as being relatively benign. Here we discuss a case of significant sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in relation to a suspected perilymphatic from traumatic barotrauma resulting from excessive self-titration of CPAP in an in-home setting. INTRODUCTION: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common, yet under recognized condition. It is estimated that some form of OSA affects approximately 17% of the adult population. Over the years, this number has consistently increased possibly secondary to the rising prevalence of obesity in the population [1]. The pathophysiology of OSA is postulated to be related to decreased parasympathetic activity during sleep, leading to decreased muscle tone in the upper airway, which can lead to repetitive collapse of the upper airway, causing the characteristic apneic or hypopneic events that define the diagnosis of OSA [2]. The traditional treatment for patients with OSA is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) [3]. CPAP prevents the collapse of the upper airway by providing continuous positive pressure to the oro- and naso-pharynx.
* Obstructive Sleep Apnea is when the pharyngeal airway collapses or narrows respectively during sleep. It is accompanied by excessive daytime sleepiness and risk for cardiovascular disease. Risk factors for OSA include obesity, large soft palate/tongue, the male sex, and aging.
IV. “The National Institute of Health” suggests that Sleep Apnea should be treated with lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, breathing devices, and surgery. Goals of treating sleep apnea are to restore regular breathing during sleep and relieve symptoms such as loud snoring and daytime sleepiness.
A precious trial of a temporary mandibular advancement splint was unsuccessful in eliminating the sleep and improving his symptoms. James is now receptive to the idea of trialing CPAP.
18 study data were derived from the apnea database (PhysioNet) corresponding to MIT/BIH database. AirFlow, SaO2, Abdominal and Thoracic Movements were obtained from full PSG records. Each record includes a period of nearly eight hours and signals annotation is done minute-by-minute. A minute is labeled as an apnea case if it contains at least one condition of apnea or hypopnea, otherwise labeled as a non-apnea. The patients mean age and weight are between 27 to 63 years (4810.8) and 53 to 135 kg (86.322.2), respectively. PhysioNet data are classified in two categories: Apnea Group (Class A, more than 100 minutes of apnea, mean age: 50 years in range of 29 to 63 years) and Normal Group (class C, less than 5 minutes of apnea, mean age of 33 years
The consequences of undiagnosed and untreated OSA are medically serious and economically costly. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is considered the gold standard of treatment for OSA along with lifestyle modifications. With CPAP use, patients can reduce their healthcare utilization and save money by reducing the impact of OSA symptoms, comorbidities, and motor vehicle accidents. Direct costs associated with comorbidities include increased medical expenses, emergency room visits, hospital inpatient visits, medication use, and mortality rates (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2016).
In serious cases, the continuous oxygen deprivation caused by sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, or even sudden death.Here are some steps that help many people with sleep apnea to sleep better:Stop use of all alcohol or sleep medicines.If you are overweight, lose weight.Sleep on your side instead of your back. Sometimes, sewing a tennis ball into the back of a night-shirt can prevent this from occurring.If you still have problems, you can wear a special mask over your nose and mouth while you are sleeping. The mask will keep your airway open by adding pressure to the air you breathe. The mask helps most people with sleep apnea. In very few cases, surgery is necessary to remove tonsils or extra tissue in the throat. Whatever the treatment, remember that
The population who are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) often experience daytime drowsiness and are at risk for ischemic heart disease, arrhythmias, hypertension, and other vascular related problems (Hsu et al., 2007). There are several treatment options for people with OSA, which are weight loss, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), dental appliances, and surgical procedure. This study evaluates patients who have
Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder whose prevalence is linked to an epidemic of obesity in our country. Sleep apnea is due to recurrent episodes of upper airway obstruction during sleep that are caused by elevations in upper airway collapsibility during sleep. OSA is characterized by recurrent episodes of partial or complete airway obstruction resulting in hypoxemia, hypercapnia, or a respiratory arousal.
This relaxation goes even further when the soft palate muscles and uvula (fleshy tissue) sag over the airway as well, creating the "labored and noisy" (Sleep Apnea) so readily associated with the condition. It is important for the student to know that there are times when this blockage causes breathing to stop entirely. Interestingly, those who suffer with sleep apnea do not realize it, inasmuch as another person typically hears the startling noises and suggests that there is a problem. The sufferer may display frequent episodes of falling asleep on the job, giving work associates the clue, as well. "People with sleep apnea usually aren't even aware they have a problem and may not believe it when told" (Sleep Apnea). Inasmuch as sleep apnea is potentially life threatening, it is imperative that the sufferer seeks immediate diagnosis and treatment. Early recognition and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea is a critical step not only in getting a more restful night's sleep, but also in avoiding the potential complications of irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. Sleep apnea is more prevalent in men and young African-Americans; however, it has been diagnosed during all life stages. It is important for the student to know that attaining proper diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea includes consultation with a primary care physician, pulmonologist, neurologist
OSA is characterized by repeated episodes of either partial or complete obstruction of the upper airways during sleep due to excessive relaxation of airway musculature, which leads to cessation
The dictionary defines sleep as “The natural periodic suspension of consciousness during which the powers of the body are restored” (Webster’s 638) If one is waking up on an average of 300 times per night, the chances of complete body restoration are minimal. The Greek word apnea literally means “without breath”. An estimated 30 million Americans stop breathing during their sleep sometimes 30-40 times per hour and often for a minute, or longer each time. Of these, about 20 million are in the early stages, and about 10 million have progressed to a level of severity that requires treatment. According to the National
The statistics surrounding obesity and sleep apnea tell a very scary tale. According to SleepFoundation.Org, 65% of all Americans are either overweight or obese. Dr. Richard Simon, a sleep specialist in Walla Walla, has even linked this epidemic to a lack of sleep, stating that a decrease in exercise, an increase in caloric intake, and a major decline in sleep has thrown the body's natural rhythms out of
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP as it is known, uses forced air to keep a patients airway open. It has common uses that most people are familiar with such as sleep apnea. But it also used in emergency and hospitals routinely to treat sicknesses such as congestive heart failure. In this essay I will give a brief history on CPAP, a basic overview of its anatomy and the some of the many uses of CPAP and health benefits.
One nice thing about UARS is that the treatment methods for it and sleep apnea are essentially the same. The most commonly prescribed treatment for both is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP machines.
CPAP acts to avoid airway narrowing by supplying positive pressure to mechanically splint the airway. This splinting pressure is constant and is optimized during sleep in order to be effective in preventing narrowing or collapse of the upper airway40. CPAP levels are typically set to raise the pressure level in the entire respiratory system to the level required to overcome any collapsing forces that result from the sub-ambient pressure generated during inspiration40, 41. However, this approach exposes the patient to pressure values that are higher than the pressure needed to support the airway for much of the breathing cycle. CPAP therapy ignores the variations in pressure requirements and provides splinting at a constant pressure level. Therefore,