
Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or sleep apnea for short is a sleep disorder, in which breathing stops repeatedly for a short time during sleep. “Apnea” means a pause in breathing lasting at least ten seconds. It occurs when the muscles at the back of the throat are unable to keep the airways open despite the breathing attempt of the individual.
Sleep apnea may lead to the interruption of sleep and decrease oxygen levels. In people with sleep apnea, the interruption of sleep and low oxygen levels together may lead to hypertension, cardiac diseases, emotional and memory disorders. In addition, sleep apnea increases the risks during driving due to impaired cognitive abilities.
Sleep apnea has two types of respiratory interruption:
Apnea: Apnea is considered the relaxation and collapse of the muscles and soft tissues in the throat leading to a complete obstruction of the airway and preventing airflow for 10 seconds or longer.
Hypopnea: is a partial airway obstruction, which decreases the airflow by more than 50% for 10 seconds or longer.

Obesity and Sleep Apnea
According to the estimations, 80% of patients with clinical obesity – mainly males – have also sleep apnea. However, millions of people are unaware of this condition and misinterpret the symptoms. There are several studies focused on the effects of bariatric surgery on the severity of sleep apnea. Patients who are on the waiting list for bariatric surgery show a serious predisposition to sleep apnea every hour. One year after successful surgery, the severe obstructive index scores declined to moderate levels.

