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Epidemiology

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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Around 80% of sleep apnoea cases are thought to be undiagnosed.

  • in the UK, Up to 4% of middle-aged men and 2% of middle-aged women suffer from symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)
  • this figure rises considerably in older people with 15 to 20% of those aged 70 and over estimated to have the condition.
  • OSA may affect up to 3% of children, most of whom have large tonsils. It is also commonly seen in children with certain disabilities (e.g. - Down’s syndrome) and in very obese children (1)
  • the risk of obstructive sleep apnea among relatives of patients with the disorder is almost twice
  • it is also associated with an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents (2)

Reference:

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