Central sleep apnea (CSA) is related to abnormalities in how the brain senses and responds to changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide while breathing. In CSA, the muscles that control breathing do not receive normal signals from the brain that tell them when to function. Central sleep apnea can be due to problems with the brainstem, which is responsible for our basic operations such as breathing, and may be seen in children or other individuals with certain congenital problems. Keep reading
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea. It is estimated that nearly one in 12 adults has OSA. OSA is especially common in people who are overweight, older, have diabetes, and have high blood pressure. However, anyone can have sleep apnea and as many as 20% of people with sleep apnea are not overweight. Once thought as mostly a men’s disorder, sleep apnea is now recognized to be common in women. The prevalence of sleep apnea increases in women after menopause. Keep reading
The word “apnea” derives from a Greek word meaning “no breathing.” Sleep apnea refers to a common and serious medical disorder where breathing during sleep stops for periods of 10 seconds or more repetitively over the night. In the mildest form, breathing interruptions are partial — these events are called “hypopneas”. Keep reading
