Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is a prevalent condition characterized by repeated episodes of pharyngeal airway obstruction resulting in hypopnea and apnea episodes during sleep leading to nightly awakenings. OSA is a major contributor to the healthcare burden worldwide due to its high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. There is growing evidence to support a pathophysiological link between OSA and venous thromboembolism (VTE). The pro-inflammatory state along with intermittent hypoxia that is invoked in OSA is associated with blood hypercoagulability, venous stasis, and endothelial dysfunction leading to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). In this systematic review, we aim to analyze and assess the available literature on OSA and VTE (or DVT/PE) to determine whether OSA is an independent risk factor for VTE.
Highlights
BackgroundObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent form of sleep breathing disorder that affects 9-15% of middle-aged adults worldwide and 24% men and 9% women in the United States (US) [1-5]
Articles were manually screened on the basis of title, abstract, article type, and availability, leaving 34 articles to be checked for eligibility
We looked at 30 peer-reviewed primary research papers and identified a statistically significant link between OSA and subsequent venous thromboembolism (VTE)
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent form of sleep breathing disorder that affects 9-15% of middle-aged adults worldwide and 24% men and 9% women in the United States (US) [1-5]. It is characterized by recurrent episodes of partial or complete upper airway obstruction leading to intermittent hypoxia, hypercapnia, and sleep fragmentation [3,6]. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is considered to be the most serious complication of DVT and is associated with a high mortality rate It is a result of the clot dislodging from the vein and traveling through the right chambers of the heart to eventually lodge within the pulmonary vasculature [8,9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
