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Introduction to Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Risk Factors for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
A risk factor is anything that increases the likelihood of a person developing a disease or condition. Over the years, doctors have identified several risk factors that may predispose people for developing obstructive sleep apena syndrome (OSAS). These risk factors include:
Anatomical variations - People with smaller upper airways due to anatomical variations are at increased risk for developing OSAS.
Gender - For reasons that are not clear, the risk for developing OSAS is about twice as high for men (4%) as women (2%).
Menopause - For reasons that are unclear (but may be related to hormonal factors), postmenopausal women are at higher risk for developing OSAS than women who have not yet reached menopause.
Age - In general, the prevalence of OSAS appears to increase with age and is higher in elderly people (up to age 65) than in middle-aged persons. Although OSAS also occurs in children, precise prevalence data in children is currently lacking.
Body weight - People who are overweight (10% or higher increase in body mass index) or obese are about 6 times more likely to develop OSAS than people who maintain normal body weight.
Smoking - People who smoke are about 3 times more likely to develop OSAS compared to nonsmokers.
Snoring - People who snore during sleep are more likely to develop OSAS compared to those who do not.
Nasal congestion - People who experience nasal congestion during sleep are about twice as likely to develop OSAS compared to people without nasal congestion.
