Sleep Apnea

What Is It?

Sleep apnea is a chronic condition that causes difficulty while sleeping. People with sleep apnea experience breathing pauses throughout the night. These pauses can last for several seconds or minutes and can occur multiple times in an hour. Most sleep apnea patients also experience shallow breathing while asleep. Sleep apnea is common and can be very serious, putting patients at risk for hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and congestive heart failure. Most cases of sleep apnea remain undiagnosed, and most people have unaware that they have the condition.

Types

There are three different kinds of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) results when the pharynx tissues obstruct breathing. Central sleep apnea is rare and causes the brain to malfunction with breathing. Mixed sleep apnea is also rare and is a combination of obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.

Symptoms & Warning Signs

Loud snoring is a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, the most common form of sleep apnea. Some sleep apnea patients experience no snoring at all. Other symptoms include sleepiness, morning headaches, dry throat, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and unexplained irritability.

Causes & Risk Factors

Sleep apnea is most common among men. Men above the age of 65 and women who have completed menopause are the most commonly affected group. Obesity is another strong risk factor. People with large tonsils and irritated nostrils are more likely to develop problems related to sleep apnea. You may develop sleep apnea when your throat muscles and tongues relax more than normal due to alcohol and sedatives. People with a family history of sleep apnea are likely to develop the condition.

Prevention & Treatment

Lifestyle changes can help prevent and treat sleep apnea. It is recommended that sleep apnea patients limit alcohol, lose weight, and stop smoking. Patients might also see improvements after changing sleeping positions. It is recommended that sleep apnea patients avoid sleeping on their backs. Most sleep apnea patients will need to sleep with a mask that provides pressurized air to stop the airway from collapsing. In some cases, patients require surgery.

Tests & Diagnosis

Before consulting a doctor, you should ask your sleep partner to document you're the severity of your snoring. No lab tests are available to diagnose sleep apnea; rather, the doctor will document your family history, monitor your symptoms, give you a general physical exam, and order a sleep test to check for common symptoms of sleep apnea.