Obstructive Sleep Apnea Essay -- Disease, Disorders

In this day and age, nearly everyone has heard the frontier cat sleep Apnea in one place or another, whether it was on the news, from a friend or relative, or perhaps from their very own physician. What is forty winks apnea? Who is at venture for developing pause apnea? Are there special signs or symptoms to look for? How is sleep apnea diagnosed? Can it be treated? What supernumerary health problems can be caused if the disturbance is untreated? All of these argon vital questions. Most people have encountered sleep apnea, tho more an(prenominal) do not know the answers to these important questions, and knowing these answers may patron save their own life or the life of a love one.Sleep apnea syndrome is a sleeping disorder marked by repetitious episodes of cessation of breathing, 10 seconds or longer, during sleep. During this time, the individuals oxygen level drops, resulting in hypoxemia and sleep disruption. (Bencosme, RDH, MA & Castellanos, RDH, MA, 2011) Th ere is more than one type of sleep apnea, but the most common type is Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or O.S.A. This is a result of relaxation of the soft tissues around the airway in the rear end portion of the throat, which block the passage of air, causing obstruction. The cessation of breathing end-to-end the night disrupts sleep and causes wakeful episodes, as many as hundreds per time of day of sleep. These disruptions cause the sufferer to arise the next morning feeling as if he or she did not sleep at all, and they are typically unaware that they actually did not sleep.There are several happen factors for developing sleep apnea. Those who are overweight, especially if considered to be obese or morbidly obese, and those who smoke have a much higher risk for developing sleep apnea. Males have a higher te... ...n cause many other life-threatening illnesses. Evidence shows any case of OSA can produce severe if not treated in a timely manner. Anyone with questions regarding this disorder should seek medical advice, because it could help save a life.Works CitedBencosme, RDH, MA, J., & Castellanos, RDH, MA, S. (2011). Sleep Apnea Syndrome. RDH, 76-77, 115.Berry, MSN, APRN, ACNP-BC, CCNS, CCRN, D. (2008). Case Study Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Medsurg Nursing, 11-6 quiz 17.Harrington, J. (2007). Sleep Apnoea. Cambridge handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine, p. 1.Johns, M. W. (1991). A New Method for Measuring Daytime drowsiness The Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Sleep, Vol 6, 540-545.KU Medical digest. (n.d.). Department of Respiratory Care Education. Retrieved from KU Medical Center http//classes.kumc.edu/cahe/respcared/cybercas/sleepapnea/trenpoly.html