Demystifying Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Wake-Up Call for India

By Aditi Sood

New Delhi: Imagine lying in bed, with a loud snoring noise from your bedside partner echoing in the background. One could easily consider them to be having a very deep, restful sleep. But what if that snoring is a hint at something more serious and is one of the most common symptoms of a potentially life-threatening medical condition known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Many of us fail to understand that what may apparently seem to be peaceful sleep could, in fact, be the body's alarm bell.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a common but serious sleep-related breathing disorder that happens when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. It is characterized by episodes of a complete airway collapse or a partial collapse with an associated decrease in oxygen saturation or arousal from sleep. Other symptoms include loud, disruptive snoring, apneas during sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness. In 2023, a study by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi highlighted that around 104 million Indians or 11% of Indian population could be suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is not merely a sleep disorder, it is also identified as one of the major risk factors for heart diseases by the American Heart Assocation (AHA). Untreated OSA can result in a few dangerous health complications, such as high blood pressure and heightened risk of stroke and cardiac arrests.

OSA has far-reaching effects on daily life, impacting much more than just a person’s regular sleep patterns. People with OSA regularly experience reduced productivity and find it challenging to keep up with routine tasks. Everyday activities, like doing household chores or spending time with their children, can become exhausting due to ongoing fatigue and low energy. This ongoing struggle can affect personal relationships and diminish overall quality of life. Hence, it is imperative for people experiencing symptoms to seek accurate diagnosis and manage the disease.

The Urgent Need for Awareness and Accurate Diagnosis

Awareness about OSA is often distorted or lacking entirely, and in India most people associate snoring with “restful” sleep. The majority of people are unaware of the seriousness of this disease, until high-profile cases bring it into the spotlight. For example, the unfortunate demise of the renowned musician Bappi Lahiri, who had OSA, briefly raised awareness of the illness in India. Following a bus accident in Nagpur last year, the Maharashtra government initiated an inquiry that suggested the driver's daytime sleepiness, which is frequently associated with OSA, may have contributed to the collision. These instances demonstrate the critical need for increased knowledge and swift intervention for sleep apnea.

Over the last couple of years, with the advent of wearable devices, sleep tracking gadgets and health apps, sleep in general, has gained a bit of attention as a lifestyle issue. Now, a new wave of applications and devices such as smartwatches that previously used to track oxygen levels and heart rates are moving towards providing sleep apnea tracking.

While these gadgets are useful for keeping an eye on general sleeping patterns, and detecting key trends, they may not be fully equipped to detect complicated disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea. It's important to understand that OSA is far more complex, and the diagnosis and treatment for each person with sleep apnea must be individualized under proper medical scrutiny

The Critical Role of Specialist Consultation

Due to the lack of awareness about sleep apnea, many people don’t take the condition seriously and often visit a general physician for guidance. However, just as every disease has its specialist, like a cardiologist for heart issues or an ophthalmologist for vision problems, sleep apnea should be evaluated by a trained and certified sleep specialist.

These specialists will evaluate one’s symptoms and can suggest proper tests accordingly, in which breathing episodes are tracked while one sleeps. They will be able to advise one on the best course of action based on test results and the severity of the ailment. Apnea-Hypopnea Index, or AHI, shows the severity of OSA by measuring the number of sleep apnea episodes one undergoes in an hour.

Industry Efforts Towards Advancement in Treatment

With the rapidly increasing cases of OSA, the healthcare industry has taken some very remarkable steps toward diagnosis and treatment. Medical manufacturers are manufacturing more advanced, more user-friendly CPAP machines which remain the most effective device for treating OSA. The machines have become quieter, more comfortable to use, and easier to operate, thereby improving compliance. The larger hospitals in India are also establishing departments of sleep medicine, fully equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic devices and sleep test laboratories. These facilities provide full-range sleep studies for the diagnosis and treatment of each case.

Coupled with this technological development, increasing emphasis is also being put on the training of health professionals in sleep medicine. Several medical schools and hospitals are trying to make sure that upcoming healthcare professionals are given adequate training to help them identify and treat conditions like OSA. More sleep clinics must be built, and specialized departments must be included into the existing healthcare system to handle the growing demand for OSA treatment.

All these initiatives are meant to enhance patient outcomes and increase understanding of the significance of an accurate diagnosis and course of treatment for sleep apnea. Hopefully, with the continuous development of medical equipment and increasing focus on the training of healthcare providers, more patients will be able to take control of this condition. By consulting the right specialists and availing appropriate treatment options, people suffering from OSA could enjoy a better quality of life with lesser chances of serious health complications.

This article is written by Aditi Sood, Business Leader, Sleep & Respiratory Care, Philips Indian Subcontinent.

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