Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder caused by the repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep. OSA occurs when the muscles that support the soft tissues in a person's throat, such as his tongue and soft palate, temporarily relax. When these muscles relax, the airway is narrowed or closed, and breathing is momentarily cut off. The condition can also lower the flow of oxygen to the organs leading to reduced or absent breathing during sleep. It is common in patients with heart failure and other forms of heart, kidney or lung disease.

The most common signs and symptoms of OSA include: snoring, daytime sleepiness and fatigue, sudden awakening with a sensation of gasping or choking, night sweats, sexual dysfunction, headaches, cognitive impairment, dry mouth or sore throat upon awakening and many others. Treatments include losing weight for overweight persons, avoiding use of alcohol and certain sleeping pills, positive airway pressure therapy (PAP), adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) to keep the airway open and some dental devices that help to prevent the tongue from blocking the throat. Surgical procedures may help people with OSA who snore.

If left untreated, OSA can result in a number of health problems including hypertension, stroke, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy (enlargement of muscle tissue of the heart), heart failure, diabetes, obesity and heart attacks. In fact, OSA occurs in about 50% of people with heart failure or atrial fibrillation.

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