Korean J Med.  2015 Jul;89(1):6-12. 10.3904/kjm.2015.89.1.6.

Epidemiology and Etiology of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Affiliations
  • 1Institute of Human Genomic Study, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea.
  • 2Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Jungwon University College of Health Science, Goesan, Korea.
  • 3Division of Sleep, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea. chol-shin@korea.ac.kr

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of common sleep disorders in western countries, affecting 4% of males and 2% of females. It is characterized by repeated obstruction of the upper airway during sleep, leading to intermittent hypoxemia, sympathetic activation, and sleep fragmentation. OSA is an independent risk factor for a range of medical problems, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and cognitive dysfunctions. The etiology of OSA is complex and incompletely understood, but recent studies have shown that the development of OSA depends on the structure of the airway anatomy, the responsiveness of the upper airway dilator muscle to stimulation, and the stability of the respiratory control system. This review details the epidemiological and experimental evidence surrounding the associations between OSA and chronic diseases. Recent findings on the etiology of OSA will also be discussed.

Keyword

Obstructive sleep apnea; Cardiovascular diseases; Etiology; Sleep disorders

MeSH Terms

Anoxia
Cardiovascular Diseases
Chronic Disease
Depression
Epidemiology*
Female
Humans
Male
Risk Factors
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive*
Sleep Deprivation
Sleep Wake Disorders
Full Text Links
  • KJM
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr