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To Exercise or Not to Exercise?

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Clinical Cases in Sleep Physical Therapy

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Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) constitutes a public health problem with various systemic consequences that can increase cardiovascular morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure. Exercise has been shown to have numerous benefits for individuals with OSA. In this clinical case, we describe a young man (45 years old) with moderate OSA. During the last 6 months, he has noticed unrefreshing sleep, with morning fatigue and excessive daytime sleepiness. After the sleep study, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was prescribed. He performed a 2-month exercise program based on general exercise 3 days per week, and a set of oropharyngeal exercises instead of CPAP use. After completing the protocol, his apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) score decreased from 26 to 8 ev/h, along with improved physical capacity, sleep quality, and significant weight loss. Here, we discuss the possible mechanisms that favor the decrease in AHI and how exercise can be an alternative for patients with moderate OSA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Therapy, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

    Rodrigo Torres-Castro & Luis Vasconcello-Castillo

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  1. Rodrigo Torres-Castro
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  2. Luis Vasconcello-Castillo
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology and Neurosurgery Department, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Cristina Frange

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Torres-Castro, R., Vasconcello-Castillo, L. (2023). To Exercise or Not to Exercise?. In: Frange, C. (eds) Clinical Cases in Sleep Physical Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38340-3_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38340-3_20

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-38339-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-38340-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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