Aneesa Das, MD, and Jeanne Caligiuri, MD, examine the comprehensive landscape of obstructive sleep apnea, from its fundamental pathophysiology and health impacts to diagnostic approaches and systemic barriers that challenge effective identification and treatment of this prevalent sleep disorder.
EP. 1: Overview of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
December 20th 2024Panelists discuss how obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) disrupts normal breathing during sleep through repeated upper airway collapse, leading to fragmented sleep patterns, daytime fatigue, and potential long-term health complications if left untreated.
EP. 2: Impact of OSA on Patient Health and Comorbidities
January 2nd 2025Panelists discuss how untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) significantly increases patients’ risk of serious health complications, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and cognitive impairment while exacerbating existing comorbidities.
EP. 3: Identifying Patients With OSA
January 13th 2025Panelists discuss how health care providers can identify patients at risk for obstructive sleep apnea through screening tools, clinical history assessment, and recognition of key symptoms such as daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, and witnessed breathing pauses during sleep.
EP. 4: Barriers To Diagnosing OSA
January 17th 2025Panelists discuss how various obstacles impede obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis, including limited access to sleep studies, lack of patient awareness, high costs, long wait times for testing, and inconsistent screening practices among health care providers.
EP. 6: Treatments for OSA With a Focus on PAP Therapy as the Gold Standard
January 22nd 2025Panelists discuss how positive airway pressure therapy is the most effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, with optimal outcomes dependent on proper device settings, mask fitting, and patient education to improve adherence.
EP. 7: Alternative Treatments for OSA
January 22nd 2025Panelists discuss how treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea include positive airway pressure therapy, oral appliances, lifestyle modifications, and surgical interventions, with the choice depending on disease severity and patient preferences.
EP. 8: Patient Cases Highlighting Integration of OSA Treatments into Practice
January 22nd 2025Panelists discuss how real-world patient cases demonstrate the importance of individualizing obstructive sleep apnea treatment plans by considering factors such as disease severity, comorbidities, lifestyle, and patient preferences to optimize outcomes.