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9
Sleep Apnea
What It Means &
How It Can Affect You
Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder characterized
by abnormal pauses in breathing
or instance of abnormally low
breathing during sleep. Each pause
in breathing, called an apnea, can last
from a few seconds to minutes, and
may occur five to 30 times or more per
hour. Sleep apnea is diagnosed with
an overnight sleep test called a polysomnogram,
or “sleep study.”
There are three forms of sleep apnea:
central (CSA), obstructive (OSA) and
complex or mixed sleep apnea (a
combination of central and obstructive).
In CSA, there is a central block
and a lack of respiratory effort. In
OSA, breathing is interrupted by a
physical block to airflow despite respiratory
effort, and snoring is common
with OSA.
Sleep apnea is recognized more often
by others because rarely does the
person affected by sleep apnea realize
there is a problem. The symptoms
Dr. William T. McKenzie, M.D. is an American Board
of Internal Medicine physician, Board Certified by
the ABIM in Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine.
include loud snoring, excessive daytime
sleepiness, depression, fatigue,
reduced resistance to infection, and
choking or gasping for breath.
Normally, the muscles that control
the tongue and soft palate hold the
airway open. When the muscles relax
the airway narrows. This can lead to
snoring and breathing difficulties. If
the muscles relax too much, the airway
can collapse and become blocked
causing obstructed breathing (OSA).
In recent studies, 90% of stroke victims
also suffer OSA; a person with
OSA is four times more likely to have
a heart attack. The risk factors include
stroke, diabetes, obesity, memory loss,
heart disease and high blood pressure.
Treatment options to relieve OSA
include CPAP devices, Oral Appliance
Therapy, and surgery for the more
severe cases. Your physician will determine
the best treatment based on
your sleep study test.
The Sleep Apnea Network, SleepApneaNetwork.org,
is designed to keep
the public informed about the symptoms,
risk factors and latest alternatives
to benefit persons with sleep
apnea. For more information about
the Sleep Apnea Network, contact Dr.
William T. McKenzie at (850) 522-5864.
34 THE CIRCUIT September/October 2012