Do you know unrecognized Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in COPD patients may have an adverse effect on health outcomes?
Co-existence of COPD and OSA is often no discussed and when they occur together it is termed as Overlap Syndrome. Hypoxia is central in both given conditions but nocturnal arterial oxyhemoglobin desaturation and diurnal hypoxemia and hypercapnia are more pronounced in patients with overlap of COPD and OSA than in patients with either condition alone. Since, OSA is a sleep related disorder and COPD is an obstructive breathing disorder, it is evident that patients with Overlap will not have a refreshing sleep superadded by further complications.
These patients have a greater risk of pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure as compared to patients with COPD or OSA alone. It is also seen that cardiovascular diseases are more notable in overlap of both these conditions. Most importantly, coexistence of COPD and OSA have increased mortality compared with patients with OSA alone.
Its early identification is highly essential to prevent a life-threatening exacerbation. If you have COPD along with complaints of loud snoring, daytime tiredness, morning headaches, it’s time for you to visit your pulmonologist. Treatment includes Positive Airway therapy in order to reduce the risk of fatal and nonfatal complications in this subgroup of patients.
Therefore, early recognition and prompt treatment of coexistent OSA with COPD is essential for further reduction in the rate of morbidity and mortality of these patients.
