Comfort Care Medical

Home |

Staff |

Sleep Apnea

Causes of obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax. These muscles support the soft palate, the triangular piece of tissue hanging from the soft palate (uvula), the tonsils and the tongue.

When the muscles relax, your airway narrows or closes as you breathe in, and breathing momentarily stops. This may lower the level of oxygen in your blood. Your brain senses this inability to breathe and briefly rouses you from sleep so that you can reopen your airway. This awakening is usually so brief that you don't remember it.

You can awaken with a transient shortness of breath that corrects itself quickly, within one or two deep breaths, although this is rare. You may make a snorting, choking or gasping sound. This pattern can repeat itself five to 30 times or more each hour, all night long. These disruptions impair your ability to reach the desired deep, restful phases of sleep, and you'll probably feel sleepy during your waking hours.

People with obstructive sleep apnea may not be aware that their sleep was interrupted. In fact, many people with this type of sleep apnea think they sleep well all night.

Causes of central sleep apnea

Central sleep apnea, which is far less common, occurs when your brain fails to transmit signals to your breathing muscles. You may awaken with shortness of breath or have a difficult time getting or staying asleep. Like obstructive sleep apnea, snoring and daytime sleepiness can occur. The most common cause of central sleep apnea is heart disease, and less commonly, stroke. People with central sleep apnea may be more likely to remember awakening than people with obstructive sleep apnea are.

Causes of complex sleep apnea

People with complex sleep apnea have upper airway obstruction just like those with obstructive sleep apnea, but they also have a problem with the rhythm of breathing and occasional lapses of breathing effort.

Risk factors

Sleep apnea may occur if you're young or old, male or female. Even children can have sleep apnea. But certain factors put you at increased risk:

Obstructive sleep apnea

Excess weight. Fat deposits around your upper airway may obstruct your breathing. However, not everyone who has sleep apnea is overweight. Thin people develop the disorder, too.

Neck circumference. The size of your neck may indicate whether or not you have an increased risk of sleep apnea. That's because a thick neck may narrow the airway and may be an indication of excess weight. A neck circumference greater than 17.5 inches (44 centimeters) is associated with an increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

High blood pressure (hypertension). Sleep apnea is not uncommon in people with hypertension.

A narrowed airway. You may inherit a naturally narrow throat. Or, your tonsils or adenoids may become enlarged, which can block your airway.

Being male. Men are twice as likely to have sleep apnea as women are. However, women increase their risk if they're overweight, and the risk also appears to rise after menopause.

Being older. Sleep apnea occurs two to three times more often in adults older than 65.

Family history. If you have family members with sleep apnea, you may be at increased risk.

Use of alcohol, sedatives or tranquilizers. These substances relax the muscles in your throat.

Smoking. Smokers are three times as likely to have obstructive sleep apnea than are people who've never smoked. Smoking may increase the amount of inflammation and fluid retention in the upper airway. This risk likely drops after you quit smoking.

Central sleep apnea

Being male. Males are more likely to develop central sleep apnea than are females.

Heart disorders. People with atrial fibrillation or congestive heart failure are more at risk of central sleep apnea.

Stroke or brain tumor. These conditions can impair the brain's ability to regulate breathing.

Complex sleep apnea

The same risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea are also risk factors for complex sleep apnea. In addition, complex sleep apnea may be more common in people who have heart disorders.

.
mayoclinic.com - thanks!

Causes | Complications | Treatments | CPAP/BiPAP

Office Locations

BEL AIR OFFICE
Comfort Care Boutique at Upper Chesapeake Hospital
510 Upper Chesapeake Drive
Pavillion II Suite 512
Bel Air, MD 21014
443-643-3214
443-643-3214

TOWSON OFFICES
(Exit 27A off of 695)
7801 York Road
Suite 336
Towson, MD 21204
P: 410-828-0947
F: 410-828-8967

Comfort Care Boutique at St. Josephs Hospital
7501 Osler Dr Suite GR 11
Towson MD 21204
410-337-7117
410-337-2702 FAX

EASTPOINT OFFICE
(Exit 39 off of 695)
1105 North Point Blvd
Suite 325
Baltimore, MD 21224
P: 410-282-9660
F: 410-282-9661

ANNAPOLIS OFFICE
(Riva Road Exit off of 665)
2568 Riva Rd
Annapolis Md 21401

CATONSVILLE OFFICE
(Exit 13 off of 695)
405 Frederick Rd Suite 158A
Catonsville MD 21228
410-788-1881
410-788-1882 FAX

Site and hosted by:
Journeyteam a microsoft certified partner