Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder in which there is obstruction in breathing. Breathing may frequently stop midway. There may be several reasons for it. Sleep apnea may be divided into three types, viz. Obstructive, Central and Complex, based on the causes of each.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when the passage of air gets blocked because of certain reasons such as a lot of fat around the neck and smoking. It may be related to a person’s age as well. In obstructive sleep apnea the muscles to the rear of the throat relax and the tissue at the centre of the throat narrows thereby stopping the flow of air. This leads to reduced amount of oxygen in the blood. This happens while the person suffering from the disorder is asleep. The brain immediately responds to this and wakes him up to enable him to open the air passage. This may occur several times during the sleep and therefore the sleep may be disturbed to a great extent.
There are certain categories of people who are highly prone to Obstructive sleep apnea. These include people suffering from obesity and high blood pressure. Males are much more at risk than the females but the risk in females increases due to obesity or if the woman is undergoing menopause. Smokers are under a high risk of getting Obstructive sleep apnea, but it may reduce if they stop smoking. Those over the age of 60 run a higher risk. Children too may suffer from it if there is a family history related to it, or even otherwise.
Central Sleep Apnea occurs when the brain does not respond to the obstruction of the air passage. There are various ways in which we can recognize this type. If one wakes up with dryness in the mouth and headache, then one must consult the doctor immediately. There are other indications such as very loud snoring, insomnia or suddenly waking up midway through the sleep. In Central Sleep Apnea also males may get affected more compared to women. People suffering from severe brain or heart disorders also run a greater risk of this type of sleep apnea.
Several complications may arise due to sleep apnea and it could cause serious concern. Complex sleep apnea is seen in mainly those people who already suffer from hypertension, hypoxia or hypoxemia (which is either lack or excess of oxygen in the blood, in that order). In case a person is to undergo a surgery, complications may arise due to sleep apnea.
There are various tests used to diagnose different types of sleep apnea. These include Night time polysomnography which studies the sleep patterns by recording activities of the brain and cardiorespiratory testing. Oximetry is another test which determines the amount of oxygen reaching the blood.
It is mainly by making changes in certain habits such as smoking and diet that help cure a person in mild cases of sleep apnea. This may also include use of devices to unblock the air passage. However in serious cases, surgery may be recommended.
Written by admin on March 5, 2011 under Sleep Disorders.
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