Surgical and Nonsurgical Weight Loss for Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

A strong association exists between excess weight and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and most patients with OSA have elevated body mass index. Weight loss is an essential part of treatment for patients with OSA and overweight or obesity. Lifestyle interventions are cornerstones of weight management. However, most patients have difficulty achieving and maintaining clinically significant weight loss with lifestyle interventions alone. Health care providers who treat patients with OSA should be familiar with advanced treatment options for overweight and obesity including antiobesity medications, bariatric surgery, and devices. The future of weight management is a customized, multidisciplinary approach for each patient.

Keywords: Antiobesity medications; Bariatric surgery; Devices; Obesity; Overweight; Pharmacotherapy; Sleep apnea; Weight management.