South Texas Regional Medical Center Sleep Disorder Center

(March 12, 2008) Jourdanton, TX—Sleep apnea is a serious sleeping disorder that occurs when a person stops breathing for 10 seconds or longer during sleep. It can be mild, moderate or severe, depending on the number of times in an hour the breathing stops (apnea) or becomes very slow (hypopnea). Apnea episodes may occur from five to 50 times an hour.

There are two types of sleep apnea: obstructive and central.

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): This is the more common of the two forms of apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is a blockage or narrowing of the airways in the nose, mouth or throat. This usually occurs when the throat muscles and tongue relax during sleep and partially black the airway.
• Central Sleep Apnea: This type is called central sleep apnea because it is directly related to the function of the central nervous system. The airway is not blocked, but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe due to instability in the respiratory control center. Central sleep apnea is usually seen in people with central nervous system dysfunction, such as those following a stroke or those people with neuromuscular diseases. It is also common in people with heart failure and other forms of heart and lung disease.

Some people with sleep apnea complain that they wake up with a sore and/or dry throat. On occasion, they may wake up with a chocking or gasping sensation and sometimes seem to wake themselves up with their own snoring.

The symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• loud snoring;
• feeling sleepy throughout the day;
• tossing and turning during the night;
• waking up with constant headaches;
• feeling irritated and unrested; and/or
• insomnia.

When a person stops breathing it causes a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream. Over time, this lack of oxygen can lead to serious health problems including high blood pressure, hypertension, stroke, heart failure, irregular heartbeats and heart attacks. Also, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment, vehicle accidents and increased risk for depression.

Typically, a polysomnogram (PSG) test is used to diagnose sleep apnea. During the test, a variety of functions are performed, such as measuring the activity of the brain, eye movements, muscle activity, heart rate, respiratory effort, air flow and blood oxygen levels during sleep. After the study is completed, the number of times breathing is interrupted during sleep is counted and the severity of sleep apnea is graded.

Losing weight, developing good sleeping habits and avoiding drinking alcohol before bed may treat mild sleep apnea. However, with severe sleep apnea, a person may need to use a breathing device that will prevent the airway from closing during sleep.
If you have question regarding sleep apnea and its effects, contact your physician.

If you're simply having trouble sleeping, it is recommended that you consult your family physician or contact the South Texas Regional Medical Center Sleep Disorder Center for a comprehensive approach to help you rest well. To contact the Sleep Disorder Center call (830) 769-3515.

The free Healthy Woman Seminar for March will feature a presentation by South Texas Sleep Diagnostic Center on Thursday, March 27th, 2008. Free sleep evaluations will be performed before the presentation. Please call 830-769-5353 for more event details.

Sources:

WebMD
www.WebMD.com

American Sleep Apnea Association
www.sleepapnea.org