Can sleep apnea be treated without modifying anatomy?

The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is a common chronic disease of adults. It is estimated to afflict 2 percent of middle-aged women and 4 percent of middle-aged men, based on the criterion of severe daytime sleepiness.1 The prevalence of less severely symptomatic sleep apnea is probably four to five times as high as that cited above2 and will continue to increase as the population becomes increasingly overweight, one of the most important risk factors. Although there is no general agreement on the severity of sleep apnea for which treatment is indicated, even a mild elevation in the frequency of episodes . . .

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