•Sleep apnea is where the upper airway becomes repeatedly obstructed during sleep caused by the episodic collapse of anatomic soft tissue structures in the back of the throat. The during sleep consequences of sleep apnea are hypoxia (low circulating oxygen), hypercapnia (elevated circulating carbon dioxide), and frequent arousals from sleep.  Down the road, sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (hypertension, stroke, coronary artery disease, or heart failure) and excessive daytime sleepiness. Obesity is a principal modifiable risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea, with 40% of persons diagnosed with obesity (BMI > 30) also being found to have sleep apnea. Additionally, a study published in Thorax in 2001 demonstrated that individuals with untreated obstructive sleep apnea are at three times the risk of motor vehicle accidents compared to the general population. The diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea is made by overnight polysomnography (sleep study). The most effective non-surgical treatment of sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). There are also surgical procedures to treat sleep apnea. However, better outcomes are seen in non-obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea treated with surgery. Weight loss is also recommended for all overweight and obese individuals diagnosed with sleep apnea.

•Veasey, S. C., & Rosen, I. M. (2019). Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults. The New England journal of medicine, 380(15), 1442–1449. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp1816152

•George CF. Reduction in motor vehicle collisions following treatment of sleep apnoea with nasal CPAP. Thorax 2001;56:508-512.

•Drager LF, Togeiro SM, Polotsky VY, Lorenzi-Filho G. Obstructive sleep apnea: a cardiometabolic risk in obesity and the metabolic syndrome. J Am Coll Cardiol 2013;62:569-576.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea