Patient/caregiver were instructed regarding causes and risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea as follows:
Obstructive sleep apnea is a relatively more common type of sleep apnea, arising due to excessive relaxation of and poorly functioning airway muscles in the throat. Excessive relaxation of and poorly functioning airway muscles in the throat lead to narrowing or closure of the respiratory airways, which results in respiratory pauses and obstructive sleep apnea. Involvement of the following factors can enhance the risk for an individual to present with obstructive sleep apnea. Coexistence of more than one factor can increase the risk for presentation with obstructive sleep apnea accordingly.
- Obesity: Appropriate tension in the airway muscles of the throat is needed to properly support anatomical soft structures in the throat, such as, the soft palate (the posterior portion of roof of the mouth), uvula (the soft tissue hanging from the soft palate in the back of the mouth), and the tongue. Obese individuals can have excessive fat deposits around the airways, soft palate, and uvula. This fat deposition contributes to increased weight of the soft tissues in the throat, resulting in poorly supported soft tissues with loss of tension. This leads to the soft tissues in the throat being relaxed, fall into the airway, cause obstruction to the airflow, and thus contribute to development of obstructive sleep apnea.
- Congenital factors: Individuals could be born with narrow airways, resulting in obstruction to the airflow pattern. This can contribute to development of obstructive sleep apnea in children.
- Excessive smoking and obstructive respiratory disorders: Individuals with chronic smoking history and/or history of poorly controlled obstructive respiratory disorders, such as, asthma and COPD, can present with increased risk for narrowed or collapsed airways. This can result in obstruction to the free airflow, thus leading to increased risk for episodes of obstructive sleep apnea.
- Parkinson’s disease: Individuals with history of Parkinson’s disease, for reasons poorly understood, can present with increased risk for development of obstructive sleep apnea.
