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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Several types of sleep apnea exist, but the most common type is obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when your throat muscles intermittently relax and block your airway during sleep. The most noticeable sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring, although not everyone who has obstructive sleep apnea snores.
Anyone can develop obstructive sleep apnea, although it most commonly affects older adults. It's also especially common in people who are overweight. Obstructive sleep apnea treatment may involve using a device to keep your airway open or undergoing a procedure to remove tissue from your nose, mouth or throat.
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- Sleep apnea. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/SleepApnea/SleepApnea_WhatIs.html. Accessed March 16, 2009.
- Kline LR. Clinical presentation and diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 16, 2009.
- Kryger MH. Management of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 16, 2009.
- Olson E, et al. Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome. Primary care: Clinics in office practice. 2005;32:329.
- Ballard RD. Management of patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The Journal of Family Practice. 2008;57(suppl):S24.
- Welch KC, et al. Sleep disorders. In: Lalwani AK. Current Diagnosis and Treatment in Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2828912. Accessed March 16, 2009.
- 510(k) summary: Pillar palatal implant system. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/pdf4/k040417.pdf. Accessed March 18, 2009.
