Sleep Apnea

Who can get sleep apnea?

The syndrome of obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a collapse or closure of the upper airway, resulting in an absence (apnea) or reduction (hypopnoea) of breathing temporarily. There are predisposing factors for developing this problem as:

problems of the upper airway (nasal stuffiness, throat disorders)

maxillofacial deformities and kyphoscoliosis

general medical problems such as obesity

some endocrine disorders

neuromuscular disorders

alcohol and sedatives

The most common is obesity. Thus over 60 percent of people with this disorder are obese.

Why does sleep apnea occur?

Normally, the muscles of the upper part of the throat keep this passage open to allow passage of air into the lungs. These muscles usually relax during sleep, but the space remains open enough to continue the flow of air. But if you have obstructive sleep apnea, your airways can be blocked or narrowed. Therefore, air can not reach the lungs.

For reasons still unclear, breathing can stop for a period of time (often more than 10 seconds) in deep sleep and after these periods of not breathing, or apnea, attempts are precipitated by breathing, which are accompanied by a change to a lighter stage of sleep. The result is fragmented sleep and leads to excessive daytime sleepiness.

Sleep Apnea Treatments

Some people can handle the episodes of apnea with weight control (or intentional weight loss) and avoiding alcohol and sedatives at bedtime.

If these measures are unsuccessful in stopping sleep apnea, your doctor may recommend a system of continuous positive pressure airway pressure (CPAP), a form of mechanical breathing assistance that involves the use of a specially designed mask worn over the nose and mouth during the night. Mechanical devices inserted into the mouth during the night to keep the jaw forward can be used in cases that are in a range of mild to moderate.

If there are anatomical reasons, it may help to perform surgery to remove excess tissue at the back of the throat (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty or UPPP), to remove the tonsils or adenoids or to create an opening in the trachea to prevent obstruction of the airway during sleep. In some people, you can do surgery to remove the obstruction of the nose or upper throat, which can alleviate sleep apnea. In children, removal of tonsils or adenoids may be all that is needed to cure obstructive sleep apnea.

Tagged as: airway pressure, endocrine disorders, neuromuscular disorders, Sleep Apnea, sleep apnea treatments, throat disorders, upper airway