Epidemiology of obstructive sleep apnea: a population-based perspective

Abstract

This review summarizes the recent literature on the epidemiology of adult obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) from various population-based studies. Despite methodologic differences, comparisons have yielded similar prevalence rates of the OSA syndrome in various geographic regions and across a number of ethnic groups. Risk factors for OSA including obesity, aging, gender, menopause and ethnicity, are analyzed. We also provide discussion on adverse medical conditions associated with OSA, including hypertension, stroke, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, cardiovascular mortality, insulin resistance and neurocognitive dysfunction. Finally, with the progression of the global obesity epidemic, we focus on the economic healthcare burden of OSA and the importance of recognizing the largely undiagnosed OSA population, with an emphasis on strategies to improve access to diagnostic resources.

Keywords::

• cardiovascular morbidity
• continuous positive airway pressure
• economic healthcare cost
• epidemiology
• hypertension
• incidence
• insulin resistance
• obstructive sleep apnea
• prevalence
• risk factor

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

^*Potentially corrected by surgery.

OSA: Obstructive sleep apnea.