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<p>Sleep Apnea: A Primer for Dentists<br>Lieutenant James M. Hawkins, DC, USN and Captain Morris A. Branch, DC, USN<br><br>Introduction<br>Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent societal disorder with approximately 18 million Americans meeting the minimal diagnostic criteria. 80% of sufferers are undiagnosed.1 Reviews show 9.2% prevalence of OSA in the general population.<br>OSA is related to a wide range of long term health problems such as hypertension, increased risk of stroke, arrhythmias, diabetes, and premature death from cardiovascular disease.2 Short term effects include excessive daytime drowsiness which can result in significant negative events such as motor vehicle accidents.3 Daytime drowsiness is of great concern in service members and could have fatal consequences in operational and combat situations. There has also been an increasing interest in OSA in service members, as the Veterans Administration has seen a 61% increase in the past 2 years in disability benefits for OSA, totaling over $500 million/year. Veterans are four times more likely to suffer from OSA than the general US population.4
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<br>Subjects: Sleep Apnea; Obstructive</div>
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U.S. Navy. Naval Postgraduate Dental School</div>
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