Weight Loss in the Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
KEY POINTS
Although obesity is one of the important risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the mech- anism behind its causality is not well understood.
In obese patients with OSA, weight loss should not be recommended as the sole treatment of OSA, but should be used in conjunction with other treatments such as continuous positive airway pressure.
Although weight loss strategies vary, these can mainly be classified into surgical, pharmacologic, and lifestyle (including caloric restriction, behavioral therapy, and exercise) treatments.
In general, weight loss may reduce the number of apneas and hypopneas, but complete remission in most patients is not to be expected.
Additional challenges with the difficulty of sustainable weight reduction should impart close atten- tion and follow-up to ensure continued evaluation and management of OSA.
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