What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. The word “apnea” means “pause in breathing.”  There are three types of sleep apnea:

• Central sleep apnea (CSA) - CSA is a breathing disorder that causes the body to repeatedly stop breathing or breathe very shallowly. This is caused by the brain failing to tell you to breathe, and is typically associated with a serious illness. 
• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - A common yet underdiagnosed form of sleep apnea, OSA occurs when the upper airway becomes partially or completely blocked during sleep. This type of sleep apnea happens when a person's throat muscles relax during sleep, letting the tongue and throat tissues fall back into the airway and block airflow.  
• Mixed sleep apnea (also known as complex sleep apnea) - As the name suggests, mixed sleep apnea is a combination of central and obstructive sleep apnea. Mixed sleep apnea typically begins as a central apnea and ends as an obstructive apnea. 

What Are The Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?

Symptoms of central and obstructive sleep apnea can overlap, however, there are the most common symptoms:

• Loud snoring
• Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep
• Gasping for air during sleep
• Dry mouth upon waking
• Morning headache
• Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia)
• Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
• Trouble concentrating 
• Irritability

Is Sleep Apnea Dangerous?

Unfortunately, yes. People with OSA are at a higher risk for stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Treatment of sleep apnea reduces these risks and, along the way, should improve any snoring and help you feel better.

What Are The Risk Factors of Sleep Apnea?

Risk factors for sleep apnea vary slightly depending on the type of sleep apnea.  Risk factors for central sleep apnea (CSA) include:

• Being male
• Being middle-aged or older
• Having congestive heart failure or other heart disorders
• Narcotic pain/opioid medications
• Stroke

How Is Sleep Apnea Treated?

For mild sleep apnea, simple behavioral and/or lifestyle changes may be recommended, such as:

• Exercise and losing weight
• Quitting smoking
• Avoiding alcohol
• Taking allergy medications

For moderate to severe cases of sleep apnea, the most effective treatment is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). Our practice has an 80 to 85 percent compliance rate for successful CPAP use. We also provide home sleep apnea testing. To pick up your device or to fill out the patient questionnaire after you return the device.