APNEA

Sleep Disorder

FACTS
• People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer reducing the flow of oxygen to the brain and causing heart rhythm irregularities.
• In most cases the sleeper is unaware of these breathing stoppages because they don't trigger a full awakening.
• Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Restless sleep
Attention problems
Morning headaches
Decreased interest in sex
Forgetfulness, mood changes
Recurrent awakenings or insomnia
Waking up with a very sore or dry throat
Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
Awakenings accompanied by shortness of breath
Loud snoring more prominent in obstructive sleep apnea
Abrupt waking up with a choking or gasping sensation

RISK FACTORS
Sleep apnea occurs in about 25% of men and nearly 10% of women
• Being male
• Being overweight
• Being over age 40
• Gastro esophageal reflux
• Having a family history of sleep apnea
• Having large tonsils, a large tongue, or a small jaw bone
• Having a large neck size (17 inches or greater in men and 16 inches or greater in women)
• Nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum, allergies, or sinus

TYPES OF SLEEP APNEA

Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The most common type that occurs is in the form of repetitive episodes of complete or partial upper airway blockage during sleep.

Central Sleep Apnea
The brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing due to instability in the respiratory control center.

Complex Sleep Apnea syndrome
Known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea. It occurs when someone has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a chronic condition that requires long-term management. Lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, surgery, and breathing devices can successfully treat sleep apnea in many people.

EFFECTS OF UNTREATED SLEEP APNEA

Stroke
Obesity
Diabetes
Headaches

Heart attacks
Heart failure
Irregular heartbeats
High blood pressure

Untreated sleep apnea may increase the chance of having work-related or driving accidents due to chronic fatigue

HOW IS SLEEP APNEA DIAGNOSED?
Testing includes having an overnight sleep study called a polysomnogram (PSG) performed in a sleep laboratory under the direct supervision of a trained technologist.
During the test, a variety of body functions, such as the electrical activity of the brain (electroencephalogram), eye movements (electro-oculogram), muscle activity (electromyogram), heart rate (electrocardiogram), breathing patterns, air flow, and blood oxygen levels are recorded at night during sleep.

TREATMENT
Mild cases
• Losing weight, avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills, stopping smoking, avoiding sleeping on your back and changing sleep positions to improve breathing.
Moderate to severe sleep apnea
• Continuous positive airway pressure “CPAP” is a treatment in which a mask hooked up to a machine delivers a continuous flow of air into the nose while sleeping.
This air flow helps keep the airways open so that breathing is regular.