punctuation question (comma + or )

[alla]

This is NOT a medical question :)

I would like to know whether using "or" after a comma means "that is" = also called ...

The most frequent complications of premature tracheal extubation are hypoventilation, apnea , or obstructive breathing.

My question is :

Can we decide on the basis of punctuation only ( if used correctly) that obstructive breathing is the same as apnea? Medically speaking, it's quite likely, but a bit imprecise ( it should be : obstructive sleep apnea).
According to the rule I know, using "or" without a comma would mean these two disorders are two different things.

[David L.]

The most frequent complications of premature tracheal extubation are hypoventilation, and apnea (obstructive breathing).

A common childhood disease is rubella (German measles).

[susiedqq]

The most frequent complications of premature tracheal extubation are 1. hypoventilation, 2. apnea , or 3. obstructive breathing.


The plural of complications makes it a choice of 1, or 2, or the third.

If they were the same thing, then it would be "the most frequent complication of . . . is 1 and 2 or 3."

[David L.]

Whether it is a 'medical' question or not, your original post does not make it clear that in fact, the complication is

obstructive sleep apnea hypoventilation syndrome (OSAHS) .