Obstructive sleep apnea in older adults belonging to an institution in Santander

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder characterized by frequent episodes of complete (apnea) or incomplete (hypopnea) collapse of the upper airway, leading to oxygen desaturation or nocturnal awakenings. OSA occurs predominantly in men due to hormonal, anatomical, and body fat distribution factors; however, in postmenopausal women, the prevalence of OSA increases, leading to differences between the sexes in older age groups. Objective: To describe the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea among older adults in a care facility in Santander. Methodology: This article presents a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study of older adults residing in a nursing home in Santander. Data collection included a sociodemographic questionnaire and the use of a screening tool such as the STOP-BANG questionnaire to detect obstructive sleep apnea in the older adults at the facility. Results: The sample consisted of 120 older adults from the Albeiro Valgas & Ángeles Custodios facility, with a median age of 77 years (60–93), comprising 51 men and 69 women residing in an urban area of Santander. The BMI distribution showed that most participants fell within the normal weight and overweight ranges. On the other hand, 46% of the older adults evaluated had a moderate risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), 37% had a high risk, and 17% had a low risk of developing this condition. Finally, this study revealed that the highest prevalence was observed among women, who showed a high risk of developing OSA (26%), while among men, the risk of developing this condition was 20%. Conclusion: The majority of older adults analyzed in the study present a moderate or high risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), indicating that this condition is underdiagnosed and that early detection is required for this population group.