Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Its possible association with obstructive sleep apnea is a major cause of concern for clinicians. As the prevalence of both COPD and sleep apnea continues to rise, further investigation of this interaction is needed. In addition, COPD patients are at risk for hypoventilation during sleep due to ...

Obstructive sleep apnea is recognized as having high prevalence and causing remarkable cardiovascular risk. Coronary artery disease has been associated with obstructive sleep apnea in many reports. The pathophysiology of coronary artery disease in obstructive sleep apnea patients probably includes the activation of multiple mechanisms, as the sympathetic activity, endothelial dysfunction, ather...

Male sex, obesity, and age are risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea, although the mechanisms by which these factors increase sleep apnea susceptibility are not entirely understood. This study examined the interrelationships between sleep apnea risk factors, upper airway mechanics, and sleep apnea susceptibility. In 164 (86 men, 78 women) participants with and without sleep apnea, upper airw...

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a stoppage or partial stoppage of air flow during sleep has been gaining more attention as a Sleep Related Breathing Disorder. This treatable syndrome has many associated co-morbidities that can have severely detrimental effects on a person’s well being and general health. It has been estimated that 20% or more of the population suffers from some level of OSA, man...

T he syndrome of sleep apnea has been described throughout the ages, dating at least to descriptions of Dionysius the Tyrant in the fourth century BC. It is only recently that scientific investigation has led to an understanding of this previously ill-defined syndrome. Sleep apnea is the currently accepted term for a group of heterogeneous sleep-associated respiratory disorders. The most common...

BACKGROUND Sleep related disordered breathing (SDB) in pediatric Prader-Willi Syndrome is gaining increased attention due to the possible association of growth hormone therapy, SDB and sudden death. However data on the patterns of SDB and their management, particularly in infants in this population, is lacking. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to 1) describe patterns of SDB in growth hormo...

BACKGROUND Heart failure is a highly prevalent disorder that continues to be associated with repeated hospitalizations, high morbidity, and high mortality. Sleep-related breathing disorders with repetitive episodes of asphyxia may adversely affect heart function. The main aims of this study were to determine the prevalence, consequences, and differences in various sleep-related breathing disord...

OBJECTIVE To assess the awareness level of primary care physicians of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome during patient-physician encounters. DESIGN A prospective study using a standardized patient approach, conducted between December 2001 and March 2002. Ten sleep experts reviewed and approved the checklist questionnaire. SETTING Primary care clinics of Clalit Health Care Services, in the ce...

Disruption of sleep causes adverse health outcomes and poor quality of life. People with sleep disruption have higher levels than people without disrupted sleep of depression and anxiety and increased rates of cardiovascular diseases. Women have a higher incidence than men of insomnia and depression related to poor sleep. The types of complaints differ significantly between the sexes. Women are...

Although sleep disorders such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea are common in both children and adults, the clinical features and treatments for these conditions differ considerably between these two populations. Whereas an adult with obstructive sleep apnea typically presents with a history of obesity, snoring, and prominent daytime somnolence, a child with the condition is more likely t...