H
Hypopnea
Decrease of at least 30% of the air flow during breathing with desaturation to less than 95%.
O
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive Sleep Apnea’s (OSA) is a condition diagnosed by a physician based on a clinical analysis (history, physical examination), and confirmed by recognized diagnostic tests (polysomnography, reference method, or cardiorespiratory polygraphy of sleep in a proper population).
These examinations can demonstrate apnea, hypopnea, or, in terms of polysomnography, limitations of air flow with arousal EEG (RERA: Respiratory Event Related Arousal).
P
Positional Therapy
The main goal of this therapy is to maintain the body in lateral position to avoid as possible snoring and apnea. If you think you sleep on your back and you snore a lot, try to change position to reduce snoring while you are sleeping.
There is a vast choice of products on the market that will help to keep your body in a lateral position. You can try to place a tennis ball on the back of your shirt or pyjama. But, this technique does not work for everybody.
R
RERA
Respiratory Event Related Arousal. Respiratory events caracterized by a limited peak flow, with no desaturation, finished by an arousal to EKG.
S
Soft palate
Posterior portion of the palate involved in snoring.