Med. praxi. 2025;22(4):286-292 | DOI: 10.36290/med.2025.054

Obstructive sleep apnea

MUDr. Martin Pretl, CSc.

Neurologická ambulance a spánková poradna INSPAMED, s. r. o.

Institut spánkové medicíny, Praha

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic disease with a prevalence in the population estimated between 5 % and 10 %. Due to its occurrence and medical consequences, it ranks among the most significant sleep disorders. Non-restorative fragmented sleep caused by repetitive respiratory events leads to a wide range of daytime symptoms that significantly affect quality of life. The main risk factors include overweight and obesity, male gender, and middle to older age. OSA is primarily associated with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (especially type 2 diabetes mellitus). Untreated OSA increases the risk of morbidity and mortality in cardiovascular diseases. OSA is an independent risk factor for the development of insulin resistance, glucose intole­rance, and type 2 diabetes; it increases the risk of stroke and traffic accidents. In the majority of patients, OSA is undiagnosed (80 % of cases). Successful screening allows identification of at-risk patients. In addition to the necessary awareness of the disease, validated questionnaires (STOP-Bang) and screening methods are available. Diagnosis is mainly established through polygraphic or polysomnographic examination. The primary treatment choice for moderate and severe OSA is positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. Regular use of PAP therapy has been shown to have a protective effect on overall and cardiovascular mortality.

Keywords: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), quality of life, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, screening, polygraphy, positive airway pressure (PAP).

Received: May 16, 2025; Revised: June 24, 2025; Accepted: June 24, 2025; Published: September 29, 2025  Show citation