Sleep apnea, as most people think of it, is a family of sleep disorders that are more properly grouped under the heading of "sleep disordered breathing."
The types of sleep disordered breathing are:
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Central sleep apnea
- Upper airway resistance syndrome
- Simple snoring
- Complex sleep apnea
- Cheyne-stokes respiration
- Hypoventilation syndromes
What causes obstructive sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea results from the collapse of the upper airway during inspiration. This is the result of decreased neurologic drive from the brain to dilate the upper airway muscles while asleep.
There are several factors associated with sleep apnea:
- Advancing age
- Male gender
- Post menopausal women
- Excess body weight
- Small jaw
- Large tongue
While these factors are associated with obstructive
sleep apnea they are not absolute. Patients with sleep
apnea come in all ages, genders, shapes and sizes.
Some symptoms commonly associated with obstructive sleep apnea are:
- Snoring
- Tiredness
- Pauses in breathing
- Gasping awakenings
- Dry mouth in the morning
Less common obstructive sleep apnea symptoms include:
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Depression
- Restless sleep
- Sweaty sleep
Yes! Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with a
three-fold increased risk for heart attack, stroke and
death from any cause. Obstructive sleep apnea puts
additional strain on your heart and lungs and can result
in heart failure and pulmonary hypertension if allowed
to continue untreated. It is the number one cause of
hypertension, and treatment can reduce the mean blood
pressure by approximately 10 points.
How is obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed?
The only way to reliably distinguish simple snoring
from obstructive sleep apnea is to undergo an overnight
sleep study in a sleep laboratory. This involves a
series of “stick on” sensors that detect what stage of
sleep you are in, how well you are breathing, and how
hard you are working to breathe. Based on the
information collected from the sleep study it can be
determined if you have obstructive sleep apnea and how
severe it is.
How is obstructive sleep apnea treated?
The first line of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). This involves the use of a nose mask to deliver air pressure to your upper airway to “stent” it open and prevent its collapse. This can “cure” your sleep apnea and bring the increased risk for heart attack, stroke and death back to where it would be without obstructive sleep apnea. In circumstances where CPAP cannot be used, second line options (depending on the severity of your disease) include dental appliances and surgery. There are several different kinds of surgery for sleep apnea, and some work better than others. It is advised that you seek the council of a sleep medicine physician prior to committing to anything drastic.
Insomnia | Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) | Sleep Apnea | Pediatric Sleep Apnea