Sleep Apnea

Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome is a condition in which the drive to breathe is depressed in very obese persons and those with excessive abdominal fat. It is closesly related to several forms of sleep apnea, including central, complex and obstructive sleep apnea. Obesity is a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea, with a dose-response relationship known to exist between OSA and BMI. What underlies this association remains unclear, though numerous different mechanisms have been proposed.