Apnea Essays - Sleep Disorders, Sleep Apnea, Central Sleep Apnea

Apnea Apnea is involved with the respiratory and central nervous systems. The respiratory system allows a person to breathe in oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide (Deepak 116). After entering the mouth or the nose, oxygen travels into the pharynx, the larynx, and then the trachea. The trachea splits into two branches which then split into smaller tubes called bronchioles. Hair-like projections called cilia cover the bronchioles and protect them from foreign particles. From the bronchioles, air enters tiny air sacs called alveoli, each of which is surrounded by capillaries containing the blood that gathers oxygen to be transported throughout the body and releases carbon dioxide so that it can be exhaled. Contractions of the diaphragm cause the lungs to be inflated and deflated. According to Janet Fricker, sleep apnea is "the periodic reduction or cessation of breathing caused by temporary oropharyngeal collapse during sleep"; in other words, it occurs when a person literally stops breathing while asleep (Fricker 122). There are two main processes that produce sleep apnea. The first, known as central sleep apnea, involves the level of brain activity during sleep. The nighttime failure of the part of the brain that controls breathing, located in the brain stem, results in unmonitored oxygen Sumner 2 levels during sleep. When oxygen levels become too low and carbon dioxide levels become too high, stimulation becomes strong enough to temporarily awaken the brain to do its job. The brain triggers a snorting or sucking of air in order to restore the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body. The episodes recur as the brain returns to its sleep state (Coren 147-48). The second form of sleep apnea, known as obstructive sleep apnea, is characterized by a severe relaxation of the tongue, throat, and pharynx.(Deepak 116). The severe relaxation of the tongue causes it to cover the opening to the trachea, stopping the flow of oxygen into the lungs. After ten to ninety seconds of an apnea respiratory centers alert the brain of its oxygen-deprived state, causing the repeated sleep/wake cycle of the sufferer (Fricker 122). Sleep Apnea affects about 4 percent of middle-aged men and 2 percent of middle-aged women (Walling 851). Symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, gasping, and choking. It causes breathing problems that cause a person to cough and gasp as many as several hundred times a night (Pressman 65). Because a build up of fatty tissues in the mouth tends to flow over the opening of the trachea, it is most common in middle aged, overweight males (Coren 148). About sixty percent of sufferers are overweight. However, it is not actual poundage but the thickness of the neck that affects breathing. Men often develop thicker throat tissues and gather more fat in their abdomen, neck, and shoulders than women. Men with a neck circumference of seventeen inches or more and women with that of sixteen inches or more are most likely to have sleep apnea, as well as Sumner 3 those with a double chin or a lot of excess fat around the waist. Sleep apnea will worsen with age as throat tissues become looser and people gain weight.(Barone 81). Many side affects can occur due to sleep apnea. Sufferers can awaken to headaches, irritability, difficulty in remembering, and problems with concentration (Barone 81). More serious problems can occur, such as drowsiness in the daytime, oxygen scarcity, and respiratory arrest while struggling to breathe during sleep. Because there is less oxygen going to the heart, it has to work harder; adrenaline is released and blood pressure rises rapidly. Repeated bursts of nighttime blood pressure may cause hypertension during the day, leading to increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart rhythm disturbances (Barone 82). Diagnosing sleep apnea has become common only in recent years, since the disorder was not officially defined until 1965. Snoring, daytime fatigue, and a short attention span can be clues for diagnosis. If these symptoms persist for a prolonged period of time it may become necessary to be placed under the care of a pulmonary specialist, or an ear, nose, and throat doctor. Diagnosis is made possible by examinations of the nose, throat, and jaw. It is also helpful for a sufferer's mate to answer questions about snoring and sleep habits. The best way to make an accurate diagnosis and determine the severity of the disorder is a polysomnography exam, usually involving an overnight stay in a sleep clinic. There specialists are able to monitor blood oxygen levels, heart rate, body temperature, brain waves, and the number of times breathing stops. The sleep