Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) is a highly prevalent disorder affecting approximately 4 to 10% of adults that has been implicated in a large spectrum of end-organ morbidities. OSA is characterized by repetitive obstructions of the upper airway during sleep that result in intermittent hypoxia (IH), increased inspiratory efforts, and ultimately sleep fragmentation (SF). A large body of research has extensively examined some of the mechanisms underlying the cardiovascular, cognitive, and metabolic co-morbidities associated with OSA in both patient cohorts and murine models. In this setting, activation and propagation of inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways have emerged as leading mechanistic processes.