Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is a dangerous disease that is manifested primarily by nighttime snoring and occasional pauses in breathing during sleep . The danger of the disease lies in the fact that it negatively affects all systems and organs, accelerates the development of cardiovascular and other diseases, threatens with a high risk of heart attack, stroke and sudden death.
The mechanism of development of snoring and sleep apnea and the reasons for their adverse health effects are clearly shown in the proposed video below.
The diagnosis of obstructive sleep
apnea is made on the basis of data obtained during a comprehensive
examination of patients. A thorough history taking is important to determine
sleep apnea syndrome, with an emphasis on its symptoms and comorbidities that
increase the likelihood of developing the disease. The presence of snoring in
the patient, its intensity, the presence of episodes of sleep apnea, and recent
changes in body weight should be clarified.
In the diagnosis of sleep apnea, a
large amount of useful information can be provided by examination of the ENT
organs . It allows to identify anatomical defects at all levels of the
upper respiratory tract (nasal septal deviation, polyps, proliferation of the
mucous membrane of the pharynx and nose,
hypertrophied palatine tonsils, elongated and hypotonic palatine uvula), as
well as to evaluate their “contribution” to the formation of upper
respiratory tract obstruction.
If there are several symptoms of sleep apnea, patients are prescribed instrumental diagnostics, the methods of which include:
- night pulse oximetry ;
- cardiorespiratory monitoring;
- polysomnographic study.
The most effective method for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea is stationary polysomnography , in which the following functional parameters are recorded:
- snore;
- electrocardiogram;
- electroencephalogram;
- electrooculogram (eye movements);
- movements of the lower extremities;
- electromyogram (chin muscle tone);
- naso -oral air flow;
- body position;
- respiratory movements of the chest and abdominal wall;
- blood oxygen saturation level.
Timely and professional diagnosis of sleep apnea allows you to identify all the causes that cause the disease, as well as choose the right treatment method. Unfortunately, not all medical institutions have modern diagnostic equipment, so it is recommended to carefully choose a medical institution for the examination. One of the best today is the Sleep Medicine Center based at the Khamovniki Rehabilitation Clinic , which has the necessary equipment and specialists with extensive experience in treating various sleep disorders.
Currently, the Sleep Medicine Center at the Rehabilitation Clinic in Khamovniki has improved Prisma CPAP machines. Line from the new line of Weinmann – Loewenstein (Germany). Their use allows the most effective and comfortable treatment of the entire spectrum of respiratory disorders in patients.
Our patient with obstructive sleep apnea talks about how he was diagnosed.