Critical Oxygen Desaturation from Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

general population from 6:00 AM to 12:00 noon, but in people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the peak in cardiacinduced sudden death occurs during sleep. OSA is characterized by recurrent upper airway collapse associated with arousal and/or oxygen desaturation. Although most of OSA is a chronic illness, some patients may be in particularly critical condition due to acute cardiopulmonary failure. In this report, we describe a patient with OSA who experienced unexpected critical oxygen desaturation during diagnostic polysomnography.