Zambia health information digest.

Abstract

This issue carries a selection of articles on the all-important subject of HIV/AIDS and the different efforts and progress being made towards arresting the pandemic. The main feature article however, is on Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The word "apnea" derives from the Greek, and literally means "without breath." In obstructive sleep apnea, the throat collapses during sleep causing sufferers to snort and gasp for breath. People with severe cases may have hundreds of these episodes every night, causing daytime sleepiness and possibly increasing their risk of high blood pressure and heart problems. These breathing interruptions can occur hundreds of times per night, and place significant strain on the heart and cardiovascular system. Each interruption can last from 10 seconds to a minute or longer. To lean more about this sleep disorder go to [http://www.itonsil.com]. There is a wealth of information on sleep disorders and there are a number of sites that give sources of valuable information on this subject. One of such sites is the Sleep Medicine homepage found at [http://www.users.cloud9.nev~thoxpy/sleep.htm], which lists resources regarding all aspects of sleep including, the physiology of sleep, clinical sleep medicine, sleep research, federal and state information, patient information, and business-related groups.