Introduction/background/objectives:

Obstructive sleep apnea is reasonably prevalent and is associated with conditions that are also increasingly frequent, so it is assumed that its incidence continues to rise. This pathology includes semiology with the ability to interfere with relevant parameters in the context of Occupational Health.

Methodology:

This is a Bibliographic Review, initiated through a research carried out in March 2021, in the databases “CINALH plus with full text, Medline with full text, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Methodology Register, Nursing and Allied Health Collection: comprehensive, MedicLatina and RCAAP”.

Contents:

There is a decrease in the caliber of the upper airways, due to the collapse of the soft tissues of the neck, while the individual sleeps, on a recurring basis. The obstruction may be total (apnea) or partial (hypopnea), both of which lead to hypoxemia, several (micro) nocturnal awakenings, that is, fragmented sleep, as well as daytime sleepiness and snoring.

The gold standard diagnostic test is night polysomnography. However, it is an expensive and technically demanding procedure and is therefore not easily accessible. Alternatively, there are portable devices for home use.

It is prevalent in the population, especially among middle-aged workers; it has eventually increased due to the rise in obesity, diabetes, longevity/age of workers and shiftwork.

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is the gold-standard treatment for moderate to severe situations.

Daytime sleepiness is present in about haff of those who have this pathology and this is predictive of the existence of labor limitations. It seems to be related to less attention, less ability to concentrate, greater difficulty in learning new tasks and/or performing monotonous tasks.

Discussion and Conclusions:

The pathology has the capacity to negatively influence the ability to work and accidents, especially in places where there are demanding tasks at the intellectual level, more monotonous and/or machines with relevant danger, decreasing productivity, quality of life and self-esteem. Occupational Physicians should be attentive to the most relevant professional sectors in this context, to question whether the diagnosis has already been made or if there is compatible semiology, alerting to the associated risks and directing, as far as their capabilities are concerned, how to obtain a diagnosis and therapy, because it is usually effective. It is also possible that workers do not value or recognize symptoms; besides that, some, even doing so, may omit the diagnosis and/or semiology, for fear of being prejudicated in some way in the occupational health examination (in their view).

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