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| Sleep Apnea Brief pauses of breathing during sleep. Often associated with loud snoring, snorting and gasping for breath. Sleep apnea can result in daytime sleepiness, depression, and cardiovascular problems. Sleep
apnea is believed to affect at least 1out of every 200 Americans, 70 to 90
percent of them men, mostly middle-aged, and usually overweight. But the
condition can afflict both men or women at any age. People with this disorder actually may stop
breathing while asleep-even hundreds of times--without being aware of the
problem. During an apnea attack, the snorer may seem to gasp for breath,
and the oxygen level in the blood may become abnormally low. In severe
cases, a sleep apnea victim may actually spend more time not breathing
than breathing and may be at risk for death. In the most common form of the condition,
obstructive apnea (also called upper airway apnea), air stops flowing
through the nose and mouth, but throat and abdominal breathing efforts are
uninterrupted. The snoring that results is produced when the upper rear of
the mouth (the soft palate and the cone-shaped tissue--the uvula--that
descends from it) relaxes and vibrates as air passes in and out. This sets
up an air current between the palate and the base of the tongue, resulting
in snoring. Typically, the individual will wake up, emit a vigorous snort
or grunt while gasping for air, then immediately fall back to sleep, only
to repeat the cycle. In another form of the disorder, central
apnea, both oral breathing and throat and abdominal breathing efforts are
simultaneously interrupted. In a third type of apnea, mixed apnea, a brief
period of central apnea is followed by a longer period of obstructive
apnea. Sleep apnea can be recognized by a number
of symptoms. As mentioned, loud and intermittent snoring is one warning
signal. The person who has sleep apnea may experience a choking sensation,
early-morning headaches, or extreme daytime sleepiness, as well. Excessive
body movements, snorting or gasping for breath during sleep. Since
sleeping pills may be harmful for people with sleep apnea, they should not
be taken if the condition is suspected. Many people with such conditions as
obesity, deviated nasal septum, polyps, enlarged tonsils, large adenoids,
or a host of other problems may be particularly likely to develop sleep
apnea. Doctors can reliably diagnose the disorder only by monitoring
oxygen intake, breathing, and other physical functions while the patient
is sleeping. In mild cases, sleep apnea often responds to medication. Or, in the case of overweight middle-aged males, losing weight may lessen the problem. Another procedure, known as continuous positive air pressure, involves the use of a machine that blows air into the hose during the night, opening the air passages in the throat. Patients will severe sleep apnea may require surgery. One procedure widens the throat. In another, a tracheostomy, which is used in very severe cases, a small hole is made at the base of the neck, below and in front of the Adam's apple. At night, a valve on a hollow tube in the hole is opened so that air can flow directly to the lungs, bypassing the sleep induced upper airway blockage. During the day, the valve is closed, allowing the patient to breathe and speak normally. |