Quality of Life in Obstructive Sleep Apnea-hypopnea Syndrome

Abstract

Obstructive Sleep Apnea/hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) has as its fundamental mechanism the failure of tonic dilatation of the pharyngeal muscles during sleep. Its prevalence has been fixed between 2-4% in women and 4-8 % in men. This pathology elevates blood pressure, increases the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, causes excessive drowsiness and decreases the quality of life of patients who suffer it. Approximately 5% of the general population is affected in their daily lives due to this disorder. Therefore, it is pertinent to have instruments that effectively measure every aspect involved in OSAHS. In Colombia, there is currently no validated scale that evaluates the quality of life in OSAHS; however, worldwide, there are several instruments useful in this topic; one of these is the Sleep Apnea Quality of Life Index (SAQLI), which is validated in four languages, including Spanish, but has not yet been validated in our country, which probably involves a language and cultural barrier at the time of application.