sleep apnea syndrome characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep accompanied by loud snoring , with frequent unconscious nocturnal awakenings. The disease develops as a result of intermittent episodes of airway collapse ( pharyngeal collapse) that occur during deep sleep. It occurs mainly in adults, although it also occurs in children.

Sleep apnea in adults leads to a violation of pulmonary ventilation and, accordingly, to a decrease in the level of oxygen saturation of the blood. Sleep apnea syndrome is more common in people suffering from endocrine disorders or obesity. Predisposing factors are some anatomical features:

• narrow curved nasal passages;
• thick short neck;
• enlarged tonsils or uvula.

The risk of developing the disease increases significantly in the presence of the following factors :

• overweight:
• drinking alcohol, smoking;
• diabetes;
• age-related changes in muscles;
• menopause;
• heredity.

The video below shows the mechanism of development and the consequences of the disease for human health and life.

The clinical picture of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in adults is largely determined by the severity of the disease and depends on the frequency of apnea episodes that cause a change in the gas composition of the blood and disruption of the structure of nocturnal sleep.

As a result of inadequate sleep, weakness, morning headaches, irritability, decreased concentration and efficiency appear. In the absence of treatment, body weight increases over time, changes in the cardiovascular system appear: arterial hypertension, arrhythmias, angina attacks. Some patients develop impotence.

In connection with all this , the problem of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome must be taken seriously. It is necessary to start treatment in a timely manner in a specialized institution – the Center for Sleep Medicine on the basis of the Rehabilitation Clinic in Khamovniki, whose doctors are successfully engaged in the diagnosis, therapy and prevention of this disease.

A patient with obstructive sleep apnea talks about what symptoms bothered him before treatment.

Below is another interview of our patient, who has been using the CPAP machine for 7 years. You will find out how much his health has changed over the years, whether there were breaks in treatment, whether there were any difficulties in using the device. What advice would the patient have for people who are experiencing the same symptoms of the disease that they had before treatment?