Pulmo Sleep Center Eliksir

Sleep apnea is a short-term interruption of external breathing, with preserved internal breathing, or a pause in breathing that lasts between 3 and 10 seconds. Sleep apnea is a disease that is still little talked about, even though it is not such a rare disorder. It is estimated that around 5% of the world's adult population, especially men, suffer from this disorder.

The nocturnal manifestations of this disease in the form of cessation of breathing and the "struggle" for air of the affected person can seem quite dramatic to someone who observes it, even though the patient himself is not even aware of apnea. However, advanced apneas can leave sufferers feeling tired and suffocated, and can cause numerous other health complications.

How apnea occurs and disease progression

Sleep apnea occurs during sleep when the tension of the entire body musculature decreases, including the muscles around the airway, which can then be completely closed. The flow of air from the nose cannot then reach the lower airways and apnea occurs, i.e. cessation of breathing.

The development of this disease is usually gradual, almost imperceptible. The first symptoms of apnea usually begin to appear in patients who have previously suffered from snoring, and the patients are often unaware of their disorder. They usually come to the doctor at the urging of a person who witnesses their restless sleep and sleep-disordered breathing, while others come because of excessive daytime sleepiness. Patients feel sleepy even after 8 or 10 hours of sleep during the night.

People suffering from sleep apnea often doze off in monotonous situations, which can be fatal if, say, it happens behind the wheel of a car. Over time, the patient develops a progressive loss of cognitive functions, which means that they become overly forgetful, have difficulty concentrating, and have difficulty performing complex mental activities.

Also, patients with apnea are at increased risk of stroke, ventricular fibrillation, high blood pressure and cardiac arrest. In untreated cases, central apnea occurs, where the patient's brain gives orders to stop breathing, resulting in a complete loss of oxygen.

Risk factors for sleep apnea

Anything that increases the likelihood that a person will develop apnea symptoms can be identified as risk factors. The most common risk factors for apnea include:

• anatomical anomalies - people with a smaller diameter of the upper airways are more likely to get sick
• gender - the reason is unknown, but the fact is that the risk of developing apnea is almost twice as high in men than in women
• age - most often occurs in people over 60 years old
• body weight - obese people are about 6 times more likely to develop apnea than people who maintain a normal body weight
• smoking - smokers are 3 times more likely to get this disease
• snoring - people who have a problem with snoring in their sleep are more exposed to sleep apnea
• stuffy nose - people who have a deviated or stuffy nose during sleep have about 2 times the risk of developing sleep apnea

Sleep apnea diagnosis

The diagnosis of this disease is made in the laboratory for sleep disorders with the help of polysomnography. The search is completely painless, and the procedure when it comes to the sleep apnea test is such that several thin wires are attached to the patient's upper lip and chest, and he sleeps in a hospital bed in the apartment with a device that records and later computer analyzes all the necessary parameters for evaluation conditions of the airways during sleep, as well as the severity of the disease itself.

After the sleep apnea diagnosis is completed and the diagnosis is made, it is usually necessary to perform an otorhinolaryngological examination to determine possible anomalies of the oropharyngeal opening and nose, as well as to determine whether there is a need for possible surgical intervention.

Sleep apnea treatment of this disease

If it is not adequately treated, this disease generally has a chronic and sometimes progressive course, which means that patients are more and more sleepy during the day, memory problems are increasing, and the risks of potential complications are also increasing. Patients are advised not to consume alcohol in the afternoon and evening because it worsens apnea.

If apnea occurs only when sleeping on the back, patients are advised to sew an object to the back of their pajamas that will disturb them during the night and thus prevent them from sleeping in an unwanted position. Reduction of excessive body weight is recommended for all patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. In the case of significant anatomical deformations, operative correction or wearing of oral applications is advised.

The only effective way to treat moderate and severe forms of sleep apnea, although in recent years it has been recommended by leading world authorities for milder forms of sleep apnea, is the use of a device with continuous positive pressure - CPAP device (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure).

A sleep apnea device that can help patients

The CPAP device consists of a small turbine that creates positive air pressure that flows over the mask onto the patient's face. This keeps the airway open at all times. It is a sophisticated device that works almost silently and is comfortable for the patient.

Patients with apneic syndrome themselves are happy to use this device for apnea because with CPAP they sleep peacefully, without the feeling of suffocation and wake up rested. Already after a few nights of using the CPAP machine, patients stop being sleepy during the day, their cognitive functions improve (memory and concentration), their blood pressure normalizes, and many of them lose excess body weight more easily.

By using the CPAP device, patients can freely operate motor vehicles and machines at work, which is not recommended for untreated patients with increased daytime sleepiness. Also, if the sleep apnea device is used regularly at night, the risk of oxidative stress caused by frequent apneas during the night is reduced. This reduces all chronic risks such as stroke, high blood pressure, ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest.

It is important to take this disease seriously and not take it for granted. Snoring itself can be irritating, but it's not dangerous as long as it doesn't disturb your sleep. The problem is significantly greater if apnea also occurs, i.e. occasional cessation of breathing, so it is extremely important that the person who feels the first symptoms contact his doctor, so that treatment can be started on time.