Sleep apnea
Description of the disease
Sleep apnea is a condition during which breathing stops for at least 10 seconds while sleeping. Episodes of such breathing cessation and resumption can occur multiple times during the night. It is a quite dangerous condition. It is divided into:
– Obstructive sleep apnea (it occurs because the throat muscles relax during sleep and air can no longer enter the lungs normally).
– Central sleep apnea (during which the breathing center in the brain does not send the signal to inhale properly).
Risk factors
Main risk factors for sleep apnea syndrome: overweight, obesity, male gender, older age, smoking, large, thick neck, alcohol consumption, use of sedatives.
Symptoms
Episodes of this condition, depending on whether it is obstructive or central sleep apnea, differ slightly. During obstructive sleep apnea, air does not enter the lungs at all due to obstruction in the airways. After this breathing cessation, there is usually a loud inhalation, often leading to a brief awakening. People with obstructive type apnea often snore loudly at night. During central apnea, no changes are observed externally during the breathing cessation episode. The person simply inhales after a longer period of time.
During the day, these individuals may feel poorly rested, tired, and unfocused.
Diagnosis
While sleeping at home or in a medical facility, the number of breathing cessation episodes per hour is determined (>5). Sometimes polysomnography is performed.
Treatment
Treatment for sleep apnea is necessary when symptoms occur during the day, e.g., drowsiness. Lifestyle changes are recommended – weight loss, quitting smoking, healthy eating, avoiding alcohol. Special mouth and upper airway position correctors are made to treat snoring and apneas (they prevent the formation of airway obstruction during sleep).
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