30/10/2026
Why the Same Number Can Mean Different OSA impact?
For decades, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has largely been assessed through one familiar number: the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI). But two people with a similar AHI may experience very different symptoms, underlying physiological mechanisms, sleep quality and responses to PAP therapy.
✅One may struggle with severe daytime sleepiness.
✅Another may mainly experience snoring and upper-airway symptoms.
✅A third may have fragmented sleep or insomnia.
This is why OSA is increasingly being viewed not simply as a disorder defined by event frequency, but as a heterogeneous condition with different physiological and clinical profiles.
💡Understanding these differences may help move sleep medicine toward a more personalized treatment.