Sleep apnea is the term given to a group of serious sleep disorders that are characterized by actual pauses during breathing. In this syndrome, a sleeping person stops breathing long enough to drop the saturation of oxygen in the blood and increase the amount of carbon dioxide. This can have serious consequences for body organs in need of oxygenation during the complex processes working in the body.

Sleep apnea is, for all practical purposes, a stoppage of breathing during sleep. You wouldn't think about stopping your breathing for periods of time while you were awake, and in those cases when you might it becomes quite uncomfortable. The pauses can either be complete where active breathing ceases (these are true apneas) or partial, when airflow is diminished but not ceased (hypopneas). Obstructive sleep apnea is the more common of the two, and most disorders are mixed, with both apneas and hypopneas.

There are serious consequences to sleep apnea. Low oxygen levels on a chronic basis lead to excessive daytime sleepiness and a high level of accidents. Cardiac arrhythmias, including pauses and actual heart block occur, as well as potential fatal cardiac arrhythmias. High blood pressure, irritability, fatigue, personality disturbances, industrial accidents and sudden death are all important complications.

To confirm the diagnosis and to assess severity, studies are made by the physician in a sleep laboratory. Treatment involves more easily alterable factors first: quitting smoking, abstinence from alcohol and weight reduction. Medications must be checked to see that none is contributory to the condition (such as tranquilizers). Sleeping on the side or face down is substituted for back position.

When tonsils, adenoids, or other physically obstructive structures are the cause, surgery often helps the problem, particularly in younger individuals. Appliances such as tongue retaining devices are sometimes successful. A machine that delivers continuous positive pressure (CPAP) helps in many cases- it is applied with a device worn as an oxygen mask would be, that delivers a mixture of air and oxygen through the nose. It keeps the airway open to assist regular breathing. Because the mask is confining, the machine doesn't always travel that well, and the noise is great enough to encourage separate bedrooms for marital partners, its compliance rate is probably less than 50%, and less than 30% long term.

The information contained on this page is not intended to provide medical advice, which should be obtained directly from your physician.