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Upper airway function in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea: a review of the current literature
- Source :
- Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine. 14:519-524
- Publication Year :
- 2008
- Publisher :
- Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), 2008.
-
Abstract
- Obstructive sleep apnea is an increasingly prevalent disease, with a considerable societal burden. The disease is defined by recurrent intermittent collapse of the upper airway. Understanding of and treatment for the disease is largely confined to relief of the mechanical obstruction of the upper airway by application of continuous positive airway pressure, and less commonly weight loss or surgery. However, recent work has focused on the function, rather than structure alone, of the upper airway.The following contributors to upper airway structure and function have been studied: traditional fixed anatomical abnormalities, dynamic anatomical changes, upper airway dilator muscle dysfunction, lung volumes, and instability in control of breathing. In each patient with obstructive sleep apnea, the relative contribution of each of these components may be quite variable. The studies reviewed here describe methods to evaluate these factors, and some attempts at treatment.Ongoing studies are attempting to classify patients on the basis of the underlying pathophysiology. This work suggests that obstructive sleep apnea is a heterogeneous disease with multiple root causes. Ultimately, such a classification may allow more individualized treatment, not only relying on mechanical relief of the upper airway obstruction.
- Subjects :
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
medicine.medical_specialty
medicine.medical_treatment
Respiratory System
Disease
Article
Positive-Pressure Respiration
Pathogenesis
Humans
Medicine
Continuous positive airway pressure
Intensive care medicine
Collapse (medical)
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive
Lung
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
business.industry
Sleep apnea
medicine.disease
Respiratory Muscles
respiratory tract diseases
Obstructive sleep apnea
medicine.anatomical_structure
Anesthesia
Pharynx
medicine.symptom
Airway
business
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 10705287
- Volume :
- 14
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....463ac31c88345e8b2300992aaee77329