Did you know that Central sleep apnea the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe, due to instability in the respiratory control center?

Did you know that Sleep apnea is a type of sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or instances of shallow or infrequent breathing during sleep?

Did you know that Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep?

Did you know that people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times?

Did you know that with sleep apnea the brain -- and the rest of the body -- may not get enough oxygen?

Did you know that Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the more common of the two forms of apnea, it is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep?

Did you know that Central sleep apnea the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe, due to instability in the respiratory control center?

Did you know that Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, even children?

Did you know that sleep apnea risk factors are being male overweight over age 40 having a large neck size (17 inches or greater in men and 16 inches or greater in women) and having a family history of sleep apnea?


Did you know that if left untreated, sleep apnea can result in a growing number of health problems, including High blood pressure, Stroke, Heart failure, irregular heart beats, and heart attacks, and Diabetes?

Did you know that untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for poor performance in everyday activities, such as at work and school, motor vehicle crashes, and academic underachievement in children and adolescents?


 Did you know that each pause in breathing, called an apnea, can last from at least ten seconds to several minutes, and may occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour? ^[1]

Did you know that with each abnormally shallow breathing event is called a hypopnea?

Did you know that Sleep apnea is often diagnosed with an overnight sleep test called a polysomnogram, or "sleep study"?


Did you know that sleep apnea causes excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and impaired alertness"?^[4]

Did you know that sleep apnea treatment often starts with behavioral therapy.?

Did you know that sleep apnea patients are told to avoid alcohol, sleeping pills, and other sedatives, which can relax throat muscles, contributing to the collapse of the airway at night?^[32]

CPAP machine with two models of full face masks

Did you know that sleep apnea is inherently worse in the supine position for many patients (positional sleep apnea), sleeping on one's side is often advised?

Patient using a CPAP mask, covering only nose

Did you know that for moderate to severe sleep apnea, the most common treatment is the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or automatic positive airway pressure (APAP) device^[32][33] which 'splints' the patient's airway open during sleep by means of a flow of pressurized air into the throat?

Did you know that the patient typically wears a plastic facial mask, which is connected by a flexible tube to a small bedside CPAP machine?^[34]

CPAP therapy

Did you know that the CPAP machine generates the required air pressure to keep the patient's airways open during sleep?

Did you know that while pure CPAP machines require one to input a desired pressure (usually determined in an overnight sleep study), an APAP machine will automatically titrate the air pressure as needed to minimize apneas and hypopneas?

 Did you know that although CPAP therapy is extremely effective in reducing apneas and less expensive than other treatments, some patients find it extremely uncomfortable and Many patients refuse to continue the therapy or fail to use their CPAP machines on a nightly basis, especially in the long term?^[35]

Did you know that one way to ensure CPAP therapy remains comfortable and effective for patients is to carefully consider the right CPAP face mask to be used. CPAP masks come in different shapes, sizes and materials to ensure effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea?


Did you know that the oral appliance, called a mandibular advancement splint, is a custom-made mouthpiece that shifts the lower jaw forward and opens the bite slightly, which opens up the airway?

Did you know that with a Oral appliance therapy (OAT) is usually successful in patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea?^[40]

Oral appliance therapy

Did you know that OAT is a relatively new treatment option for sleep apnea in the United States, but it is much more common in Canada and Europe?

Did you know that there are several surgical procedures used to treat sleep apnea, although they are normally a second line of treatment for those who reject CPAP treatment or are not helped by it?

Did you know that surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea needs to be individualized to address all anatomical areas of obstruction, correction of the nasal passages needs to be performed in addition to correction of the oropharynx passage?

Did you know that Septoplasty and turbinate surgery may improve the nasal airway although Tonsillectomy and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP or UP3) are available to address pharyngeal obstruction?

Did you know that the Stanford Center for Excellence in Sleep Disorders Medicine achieved a 95% cure rate of sleep apnea patients by surgery?^[41]

 Did you know that Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) is considered the most effective surgery for sleep apnea patients,^[42] because it increases the posterior airway space (PAS)?^[43]


Did you know that a sleep apnea patient undergoing any medical treatment must make sure his or her doctor and anesthetist are informed about the sleep apnea so that an alternative and emergency procedures may be necessary to maintain the airway of sleep apnea patient?

Did you know that a study in 2012  has shown that hypoxia (an inadequate supply of oxygen) that characterizes sleep apnea promotes angiogenesis which increase vascular and tumor growth, which in turn results in a 4.8 times higher incidence of cancer mortality?^[58][59][60]

 Now if you didn't know, now you know...



To see more did you know that trivia click here