What is desaturation in sleep apnea?
A decrease of at least 4% in the mean oxygen saturation value during sleep was considered to be desaturation, while the mean desaturation value in an hour was represented by ODI. Patients were divided into four groups according to AHI, a commonly used indicator for the diagnosis and grading of sleep apneas.
Does sleep apnea cause oxygen desaturation?
Many patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have intermittent oxygen desaturation associated with periods of apnea or hypopnea. Oxygen saturation levels below 90% are considered harmful. Usually, treatment is directed at correcting the apnea, which will in turn prevent hypoxemia.
How low do oxygen levels drop with sleep apnea?
Patients with breathing problems during sleep (sleep apnea, COPD) often have low oxygen levels in their blood. A normal blood oxygen level should be between 94% to 98%. As a result of not breathing for 30 seconds or more during sleep, your sleep apnea oxygen level would drop to 80% or less.
What is considered severe oxygen desaturation?
Oxygen desaturation is also often cited as a common complication in OSA patients undergoing UPPP. A value of less than 85–93% is typically considered significant desaturation.
What should oxygen saturation be during sleep?
Everyone’s oxygen levels in the blood are lower during sleep, due to a mildly reduced level of breathing. Also, some alveoli drop out of use during sleep. If your waking oxygen saturation is greater than about 94 percent on room air, it is unlikely that your saturation during sleep will fall below 88 percent.
What does it mean when a patient desaturated?
Drops in blood oxygen level are called desaturations. Desaturations can occur due to illnesses (like lung disease) while you are awake, but they are even more likely to occur while you are asleep. Sleep apnea is the most common cause of oxygen desaturation during sleep.