Sleep apnea

Introduction: Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea refers to a temporary cessation of breathing during sleep, that usually repeats in a cycle. In children, common causes include tonsilitis and adenoiditis. In adults, the condition is often related to obesity, but it can also be caused by other disorders or structural defects in the throat. The most common type, Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), occurs where something physically obstructs the airway.

In many cases, the person is unaware of the condition except perhaps of their snoring. This is a potentially serious airway disorder where a person suffers repetitive difficulty breathing during sleep, and this lack of breathing causes complications. Sleep apnea causes serious complications such as hypertension and can be life-threatening.

Symptoms of Sleep apnea

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Social problems
• Emotional problems
• Restless sleep
• Loud snoring

See full list of 21 symptoms of Sleep apnea

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Sleep apnea:

• Home Sleep Tests
• Sleep Apnea Tests

Medical Textbooks Online about Sleep apnea

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Sleep apnea

• Sleep studies
• Polysomnography
• Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT)

Read more about tests for Sleep apnea

Wrongly Diagnosed with Sleep apnea?

• Misdiagnosis of Sleep apnea
• Failure to diagnose Sleep apnea
• Underlying causes of Sleep apnea (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Failure to diagnose Sleep apnea

Causes of Sleep apnea

• Obesity
• Common cold
• Sinusitis
• Enlarged tonsils
• Enlarged adenoids

See full list of 8 causes of Sleep apnea

More information about causes of Sleep apnea:

• Medications, drugs, or substances causing Sleep apnea (7 listings)
• Underlying causes of Sleep apnea
• Sleep apnea as a complication caused by other conditions
• Sleep apnea as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Sleep apnea

Treatments for Sleep apnea

• Specific treatments
  • Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nasal CPAP)
  • Dental appliances
  • Decongestants - if blockage is from a stuffy nose or sinuses.
  • Oxygen - somewhat controversial.

See full list of 23 treatments for Sleep apnea

Videos for Sleep apnea

Patient Surveys for Sleep apnea

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about the symptoms of your Sleep apnea
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Prognosis for Sleep apnea

Prognosis for Sleep apnea: Eliminating the obstruction usually reverses the commonly associated pulmonary and systemic hypertension and cardiac problems of obstructive apnea. Untreated, sleep apnea can greatly affect daytime functioning. Sleep apnea sufferers have a tendency to fall asleep during the day, a potentially deadly consequence of the disorder. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Sleep Apnea Information Page: NINDS)

More about prognosis of Sleep apnea

Reseach about Sleep apnea

Visit our research pages for current research about Sleep apnea treatments.

Statistics for Sleep apnea

• Medical statistics for Sleep apnea
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Sleep apnea
• Death and Mortality statistics for Sleep apnea
• Society statistics for Sleep apnea

Types of Sleep apnea

• Obstructive sleep apnea - cause by an airway obstruction or narrowing.
• Central sleep apnea - caused by a brain signalling failure.

Read more about Types of Sleep apnea

Medical Guidebooks and Ebooks for Sleep apnea

• Icon Health Sourcebook for Sleep apnea

See all guides and ebooks for Sleep apnea

Stories from Users Related to Sleep apnea

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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Sleep apnea, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

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• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
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Article Excerpts about Sleep apnea

NINDS Sleep Apnea Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)

Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which breathing stops during sleep for 10 seconds or more, sometimes more than 300 times a night. The hallmark of the disorder is excessive daytime sleepiness and compromised quality of life, including significant social and emotional problems. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Sleep Apnea Information Page: NINDS)

Obesity: NWHIC (Excerpt)

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that can cause a person to stop breathing for short periods during sleep and to snore heavily. Sleep apnea may cause daytime sleepiness and even heart failure. The risk for sleep apnea increases with higher body weights. Weight loss usually improves sleep apnea. (Source: excerpt from Obesity: NWHIC)

Sleep Apnea: NWHIC (Excerpt)

Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition that is far more common than generally understood. First described in 1965, sleep apnea is a breathing disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. It owes its name to a Greek word, apnea, meaning"want of breath." (Source: excerpt from Sleep Apnea: NWHIC)

Wiki article about Sleep apnea

See full article about Sleep apnea

Definitions of Sleep apnea:

Apnea that occurs during sleep - (Source - WordNet 2.1)