Sleep Apnea
Description of the Disease
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated episodes of breathing cessation lasting at least 10 seconds during sleep. These episodes may occur many times throughout the night and can lead to serious health consequences if left untreated. There are two main types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): Caused by relaxation of the throat muscles during sleep, resulting in partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway.
- Central sleep apnea (CSA): Occurs when the brain’s respiratory center fails to send appropriate signals to the breathing muscles.
Risk Factors
The main risk factors for sleep apnea include overweight and obesity, male sex, older age, smoking, a large neck circumference, alcohol consumption, and the use of sedative medications.
Symptoms
The symptoms vary slightly depending on the type of sleep apnea.
In obstructive sleep apnea, airflow is completely or partially blocked because of upper airway obstruction. Breathing usually resumes with a loud gasp or snort, often causing a brief awakening. Loud snoring is a common feature of obstructive sleep apnea.
In central sleep apnea, there is no physical airway obstruction. Instead, breathing temporarily stops because the brain fails to initiate respiration, and breathing resumes after a pause without the typical gasping seen in obstructive sleep apnea.
During the day, affected individuals often experience excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, poor concentration, and a feeling of not being refreshed after sleep.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is based on measuring the number of apnea episodes per hour of sleep, either during a home sleep apnea test or an overnight sleep study in a medical facility. An apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of more than 5 events per hour is generally considered abnormal. In some cases, full-night polysomnography is performed to provide a comprehensive assessment.
Treatment
Treatment is recommended for patients with symptomatic sleep apnea, particularly those with excessive daytime sleepiness. Lifestyle modifications include weight loss, smoking cessation, healthy eating habits, and avoiding alcohol and sedative medications. Oral appliances that reposition the jaw or upper airway may be used to reduce snoring and prevent airway obstruction during sleep. In moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is the standard treatment.
Source | Author Doctor Nikas Samuolis, reviewed by Prof. Virginijus Šapoka | Vilnius University | Faculty of Medicine | Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and Oncology