Clinical picture of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS)

The baseline for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is the clinical picture obtained through a detailed clinical history. The symptoms are referred by the patients or their bed partners, can occur during sleep or wakefulness, and are a consequence of sleep disorders. Upper airway obstruction, intermittent hypoxia, or repeated sleep fragmentation are the cause of the symptoms. For the diagnosis of OSAHS, aggravating factors, comorbidities, family history, physical examination, anthropometric measurements, vital signs and structural anatomical findings associated with this syndrome or with predisposing congenital abnormalities should be taken into account. Knowing these clinical aspects is fundamental to reach a good approximation to diagnosis