Obstructive sleep apnoea
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) describes a condition when there is a repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep, associated with daytime symptoms and often linked to other conditions (comorbidities).
OSA is a very common disorder and affects around 13% of the male and 9% of the female population. Prevalence in women doubles after menopause and then becomes comparable to men. It is not a life threatening condition in itself, but it can affect the heart, the brain and vessels, as it leads to oxygen deprivation of the body and bodily stress. This can result in serious problems such as arterial hypertension, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke and diabetes.
OSA can have a great impact on quality of life. It affects quality of sleep, causing excessive daytime sleepiness and insomnia. It can also prevent a person driving a vehicle and affect school life, work and social activities.
“Sleep apnoea is a major health problem for affected patients. Suffering from disrupted sleep impacts their whole social and professional life. The major impact on multiple organs may lead to severe health consequences and may shorten life expectancy. The good news is that we have a variety of effective therapeutic options for individualised treatment.” Professor Winfried Randerath, Bethanien Hospital, Clinic of Pneumology and Allergology, Center for Sleep Medicine and Respiratory Care, Institute of Pneumology at the University of Cologne, Solingen, Germany.
OSA in numbers
in Europe in 2015
The charts below present the data available for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in Europe. Data was taken from a 2019 study based on a systematic review and publicly available data. It covered prevalence only. The systematic review found published estimates for Germany, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Spain and Switzerland, as well as multiple other countries worldwide. These estimates were used to model estimates worldwide. Data was only modelled for patients aged 30-69 years. Numbers were provided for apnoea hypopnoea index (AHI) ≥5 and ≥15.
Study used:
Benjafield AV, Ayas NT, Eastwood PR, et al. Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis. Lancet Respiratory Medicine 2019; 7: 687-698.
In 2024, Lung Facts conducted a systematic review to check for the latest data on OSA in Europe. The above study from 2019 is still considered the most data robust source, however these new studies also provide some additional data:
- de Araujo Dantas AB, Goncalves FM, Martins AA, et al. Worldwide prevalence and associated risk factors of obstructive sleep apnea: a meta-analysis and meta-regression. Sleep & Breathing 2023;27(6):2083-109. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11325-023-02810-7
- Ghavami T, Kazeminia M, Ahmadi N, et al. Global Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the Elderly and Related Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing 2023;38(6):865-75. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jopan.2023.01.018
- Magnusdottir S, Hill EA. Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among preschool aged children in the general population: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews 2024;73:101871. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101871
- Zasadzinska-Stempniak K, Zajaczkiewicz H, Kukwa A. Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the Young Adult Population: A Systematic Review. Journal of Clinical Medicine 2024;13(5):28. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm13051386
Find out more about data is collected for conditions not covered by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study.
All charts are freely available to download by clicking the three dots in the top right-hand corner. Please reference Lung Facts when sharing.
“Sleep apnoea is no minor disease. It has an impact on our quality of life and work performance. Improving care for sleep apnoea patients, especially in times of reducing the skills shortage, could have a great benefit not only for individual patients, but also for the economy. Data collection is vital as I can understand where my country stands compared to others. This gives me objective arguments in discussions with decision makers.”
Carla Miltz, who has experience of living with sleep apnoea.
“By gathering scientific data on sleep apnoea, we can see the impact of the condition. This ranges from cardiovascular and metabolic conditions, to work productivity and road accidents. We can use this data to demonstrate the need to invest in sleep apnoea prevention to reduce the costs of treating this disease and other comorbidities. We must address the vast underdiagnosis and undertreatment of sleep apnoea. More awareness is needed to understand how poor-quality sleep can affect quality of life.”
Mark De Quidt, ApneuVereniging Vlaanderen.
