STATISTICS

Prevalence Of Snoring

• 30 % of the adult population over the age of 30
• Male:Female ratio = 2:1 with the gap closing after menopause
• Prevalence of snoring increases into the 6th decade and then decreases for older individuals (this may be due to decrease in deep NREM and REM sleep that occurs with increasing age and also to shorter life expectancy of snorers with OSA)

Prevalence Of OSA

• 2 - 5 % of the adult population over the age of 30.
• Male:Female ratio = 2:1 with the gap closing after menopause
• Prevalence of OSA increases into the 5th decade and then decreases for older individuals (this may be due to occurrence of stroke and heart attacks)

OSA may be more common in certain ethnic groups such as Black Americans, and Hispanics. It is our impression that the prevalence will be quite high in Sikhs, in certain South Asian populations, and in Coastal Indians.

The gap in prevalence of snoring and OSA between men and women may narrow further as a result of increased smoking in women.

OSA is very common in patients with:

• Heart disease,
• Stroke,
• Diabetes.

OSA is probably also common in patients with neuromuscular disease such as muscular dystrophy, ALS and spinal cord injury. These special groups have not been well studied.

** Estimates of the prevalence of snoring and OSA will vary depending on how the researchers define each condition and the methods used to identify people with these conditions.