What is Obesity hypoventilation syndrome-(OHS)
As name suggests, overweight makes it difficult to expand the chest when breathing. This can lead to long-term breathing problems. Also, it leads to lower oxygen and higher carbon dioxide levels in the blood.
Causes of OHS
In general, it is believed that the actual causes of OHS are still unknown. But it is also believed that OHS may be a result of a defect in the brain’s control over breathing. Excess weight against the chest wall also makes it harder for the muscles to draw in a deep breath and to breathe quickly enough. This worsens the brain’s breathing control. As a result, the blood contains too much carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of OHS are due to sleep disorder, disruptions called sleep apnea and it’s lacking. Also, the main symptoms are listed below.
Depression, Headaches, Tiredness, Poor , sleep quality, Sleep apnea, Daytime sleepiness.
Symptoms of low blood oxygen level (chronic hypoxia) and high carbon dioxide can occur. Symptoms include shortness of breath or feeling tired after little effort.
Diagnosis
As per study, it has been found that people with OHS have obesity (body mass index of 30 or greater). A physical exam may result into the following:
Signs of right-sided heart failure, swollen legs or feet, shortness of breath, or feeling tired after little effort
Reddish skin, Bluish color in the lips, fingers, toes and skin.
Signs of extreme sleepiness.
There are various tests also which can be done for to diagnose OHS include:
- Arterial blood gas
- Chest x-ray or CT scan to rule out other possible causes
- Lung function tests (pulmonary function tests)
- Sleep study (polysomnography)
- Echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart)
Treatment
Treatments are aimed at weight loss, which can reverse OHS, although it is often difficult to achieve.
- Treatment involves breathing assistance using special machines (mechanical ventilation). Options include:
- Oxygen therapy
- Noninvasive mechanical ventilation such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) through a mask that fits tightly over the nose or nose and mouth (mainly for sleep)
- Breathing help through an opening in the neck (tracheostomy) for severe cases.
To prevent this, always maintain a healthy weight and take proper balanced diet.