History of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS)

Abstract

The history of obstructive sleep apnea is long and complicated, and some descriptions can be traced back to the early nineteenth century in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, the first novel written by Charles Dickens. The definition of this term by different researchers highlights the importance of understanding the entities associated with the syndrome, such as alveolar hypoventilation and excessive daytime sleepiness. Thus, the neurophysiological studies carried out since then, as well as the European Society of Neurology conference held in 1964, the description of the syndrome in pediatric patients, the confirmation of cardiovascular co-morbidity associated with the disease, tracheostomy as treatment and the creation of hypoglossal nerve stimulus implants —including Sullivan’s discovery of positive pressure as a home treatment— have been essential for the understanding of this syndrome

Keywords

• Apnea del sueño obstructiva
• Síndromes de la apnea del sueño
• Trastornos respiratorios.