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Obesity has become an increasingly important public health problem.
Obesity is a growing health problem that contributes to numerous life
-threatening or disabling disorders, including coronary artery disease,
hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, degenerative joint
disease, and obstructive sleep apnea. It’s induces multiple physiologic
changes at the respiratory and circulatory systems level. Obesity induces
multiple physiologic changes at the respiratory and circulatory systems
level. Potential mechanisms of OSA include alterations in upper airways
structure and function. Moreover, the multiple effects of obesity interact
to provoke pharyngeal instability and collapse (1).
A considerable increase in fatty tissue in the neck can cause
pressure changes as well as induce adipose degeneration and may predispose
toward upper airway occlusion during sleep(2) by altering the anatomical
and mechanical properties of the upper airway, particularly at the level
of the velopharynx. In fact, obese patients with a large neck have a more
collapsible velopharynx even while awake, which may predispose to snoring
and upper airways obstruction during sleep. An increase in adipose tissue
in the thorax is another factor that can aggravate symptoms further.
Whether use of CPAP leads to an enhanced ability to lose weight.
Anecdotal reports have shown that some patients with sleep apnea syndrome
rapidly lose weight after initiating CPAP treatment (3).
The relationship between weight loss and apneas is apparently
curvilinear. A critical amount of weight loss must often occur before a
significant reduction in AHI is seen.
Sincerely
Dr. Murat Enoz
References
1- Grunstein RR, Wilcox I. Sleep-disordered breathing and obesity.
Bailliere’s Clin Endocr Metab 1994;8(3):601–628.
2- Davies RJO, Stradling JR. The relationship between neck
circumference radiographic pharyngeal anatomy, and the obstructive sleep
apnea syndrome. Eur Respir J 1990;3:509–514.
3- Aubert-Tulkens D, Culee C, Rodnstein DO. Cure of sleep apnea
syndrome after long term nasaþ CPAP and weight loss. Sleep. 1989;12:216-
222.
Sleep Apnea and Obesity
Dear Editor,
Obesity has become an increasingly important public health problem.
Obesity is a growing health problem that contributes to numerous life
-threatening or disabling disorders, including coronary artery disease,
hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, degenerative joint
disease, and obstructive sleep apnea. It’s induces multiple physiologic
changes at the respiratory and circulatory systems level. Obesity induces
multiple physiologic changes at the respiratory and circulatory systems
level. Potential mechanisms of OSA include alterations in upper airways
structure and function. Moreover, the multiple effects of obesity interact
to provoke pharyngeal instability and collapse (1).
A considerable increase in fatty tissue in the neck can cause
pressure changes as well as induce adipose degeneration and may predispose
toward upper airway occlusion during sleep(2) by altering the anatomical
and mechanical properties of the upper airway, particularly at the level
of the velopharynx. In fact, obese patients with a large neck have a more
collapsible velopharynx even while awake, which may predispose to snoring
and upper airways obstruction during sleep. An increase in adipose tissue
in the thorax is another factor that can aggravate symptoms further.
Whether use of CPAP leads to an enhanced ability to lose weight.
Anecdotal reports have shown that some patients with sleep apnea syndrome
rapidly lose weight after initiating CPAP treatment (3).
The relationship between weight loss and apneas is apparently
curvilinear. A critical amount of weight loss must often occur before a
significant reduction in AHI is seen.
Sincerely
Dr. Murat Enoz
References
1- Grunstein RR, Wilcox I. Sleep-disordered breathing and obesity.
Bailliere’s Clin Endocr Metab 1994;8(3):601–628.
2- Davies RJO, Stradling JR. The relationship between neck
circumference radiographic pharyngeal anatomy, and the obstructive sleep
apnea syndrome. Eur Respir J 1990;3:509–514.
3- Aubert-Tulkens D, Culee C, Rodnstein DO. Cure of sleep apnea
syndrome after long term nasaþ CPAP and weight loss. Sleep. 1989;12:216-
222.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests