What is obstructive apnea/hypopnea, and what harm does sleep apnea cause?

Obstructive apnea in adults is the inability to breathe for more than 10 seconds despite efforts to do so. Hypopnea is defined as a decrease of at least 30% in airflow, leading to a certain reduction in blood oxygen saturation.

When apnea occurs during sleep, the body enters a state of oxygen deprivation, triggering a panic reaction that releases stress hormones, raises blood pressure, increases heart rate, and reduces sleep depth. If this situation is repeated throughout the night, it can lead to various metabolic, mental, and social problems such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, heart diseases, stroke, increased risk of accidents, fatigue, depression, sexual dysfunction, and decreased performance.