Surgery is an alternative treatment for people with OSA who have either failed to respond to CPAP therapy or are unable to tolerate it. Surgical techniques used can vary based on the physiology of the individual being treated, but are generally performed to remove excess tissue or remodel the upper airway to prevent obstructions.[1]
Lifestyle interventions may also be effective treatments for OSA, since obesity is a significant risk factor.[2] One 89-participant randomized controlled trial comparing a diet and lifestyle intervention to standard CPAP therapy in men with moderate to severe OSA and overweight or obesity found that the diet/lifestyle intervention eliminated the need for CPAP therapy in over 60% of the participants. Remarkably, 29% of the participants in the lifestyle intervention group achieved complete OSA remission.[3]
Reducing alcohol consumption may help to improve sleep apnea symptoms, since higher levels of alcohol consumption are an OSA risk factor.[4]
Exercise may also improve OSA symptoms in people with sleep apnea by reducing the accumulation of fluid in tissues surrounding the upper airway at night, which helps to reduce constriction.[5]
References
- ^Won CH, Li KK, Guilleminault CSurgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea: upper airway and maxillomandibular surgery.Proc Am Thorac Soc.(2008-Feb-15)
- ^Young T, Peppard PE, Taheri SExcess weight and sleep-disordered breathing.J Appl Physiol (1985).(2005-Oct)
- ^Carneiro-Barrera A, Amaro-Gahete FJ, Guillén-Riquelme A, Jurado-Fasoli L, Sáez-Roca G, Martín-Carrasco C, Buela-Casal G, Ruiz JREffect of an Interdisciplinary Weight Loss and Lifestyle Intervention on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Severity: The INTERAPNEA Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA Netw Open.(2022-04-01)
- ^Simou E, Britton J, Leonardi-Bee JAlcohol and the risk of sleep apnoea: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep Med.(2018-02)
- ^Mendelson M, Lyons OD, Yadollahi A, Inami T, Oh P, Bradley TDEffects of exercise training on sleep apnoea in patients with coronary artery disease: a randomised trial.Eur Respir J.(2016-07)