Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious ailment, unfortunately ignored not only by patients but also by many doctors. This is because the most "audible" symptom is snoring. Why is sleep apnea so dangerous? What are the symptoms and causes of sleep apnea, and how is it treated?

Obstructive sleep apnea( OBS ), as defined by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine in 1999, is a disease characterized by multiple, repeated episodes of stopping or significantly limiting the flow of air through the respiratory tract at the level of the pharynx with increased work of the respiratory muscles.

An episode of apnea or hypopnea (decrease in breathing amplitude by 50 percent) must last longer than 10 seconds. Apnea and hypopnea are accompanied by a 2-4% decrease in saturation compared to saturation in the waking period.

Sleep apnea symptoms

There is basically no apnea without snoring. It usually happens that a snorer, whether it is a man or a woman, does not know that he is suffering from sleep apnea. The only symptom of ailments is that he has headaches in the morning and is tired. People with apnea tend to sleep very restlessly, fidgeting in bed, and rearranging duvets and pillows.

The patient often wakes up and inhales sharply with his mouth. Sleep is then not regenerating, it does not give you strength and does not allow you to properly rest. But how could it be otherwise when the lungs do not get the right amount of air, and therefore the blood is not properly saturated with oxygen? The whole body is hypoxic, even slightly choked.

Doctors divide the symptoms accompanying OSA into those that occur at night and those that occur during the day.

Nocturnal symptoms of sleep apnea include:

  • loud irregular snoring interrupted by a sudden silence that causes anxiety in third parties
  • restless interrupted sleep
  • sudden awakening from sleep often combined with a feeling of lack of air, rapid breathing or heart rate
  • sometimes having trouble falling asleep after waking up because of anxiety
  • excessive sweating at night
  • need to urinate at night

Daytime symptoms of night apnea are:

  • morning headache
  • feeling tired regardless of the lengthsleep
  • increased daytime sleepiness, interfering with normal functioning
  • dry mouth, chapped lips after waking up
  • excessive irritability and nervousness
  • difficulty concentrating and remembering
  • male potency disorders

Sleep apnea - causes

During sleep, muscle tension decreases, which makes it easier for the walls of the throat to collapse. Apnea occurs when there are also abnormalities in the structure of the upper respiratory tract, such as:

  • polyps
  • deviated nasal septum
  • tissue overgrown after infections
  • abnormal structure of the lower jaw
  • too flaccid muscles of the palate

Sleep apnea can also be caused by:

  • obesity
  • drinking alcohol
  • bedtime binge eating
  • smoking
  • short, thick neck - there is a relationship between the circumference of the neck and the probability and severity of OSA

Sleep apnea often occurs in patients with acromegaly or untreated hypothyroidism. Apnea is also favored by the specific structure of the male throat.

Sleep Apnea Effects

The German organization ADAC has been analyzing the he alth condition of drivers who have caused road accidents for years. Her research shows that over 40 percent. suffers from apnea, which results in impaired concentration and a longer psychomotor reaction. Many studies have also shown that people with apnea are more likely to suffer from heart disease and cardiovascular disease:

  • hypertension
  • ischemic heart disease
  • Zawały
  • strokes

There is also a risk of type 2 diabetes, neurological disorders may occur. Many men also lose interest in sex due to extreme sleep deprivation.

Sleep Apnea - Types of Apnea

The most common form of the disease (as much as 99% of cases) is peripheral apnea, i.e. apnea caused by an obstacle blocking the air flow. The remaining 1 percent. are mixed apnea (provoked by an obstacle and neurological disorders) and central apnea, i.e. those caused by neurological disorders.

Sleep apnea diagnosis

It is accepted that anyone who snows should be first diagnosed for sleep apnea and then, if eligible, surgically treated. This is because it happens that the patient stops snoring after the surgery, but still suffers from breathing disorders during sleep, and this time there is no indication of it.

The reference method for establishing the diagnosis inthe case of obstructive sleep apnea is a polysomnographic examination. There are also tests that allow you to determine the place of narrowing of the airways. The basis here is the pharmacological sleep test. The patient lies in a dark room and listens to calming music.

After local anesthesia, microcambers are inserted into his nose, thanks to which the places and tissues blocking the respiratory tract are determined. Another examination is to perform a portrait of the respiratory tract, i.e. three-dimensional computed tomography, which allows you to precisely plan the procedure. Sometimes endoscopic examination of the nose, throat and larynx is also necessary. An interview, from which the doctor learns under what circumstances sleep apnea occurs, is also important.

Sleep apnea treatment

Unfortunately, there is no effective pharmacological treatment for sleep apnea. Patients with mild and moderate OSA should change their lifestyle, reduce body weight, adopt a favorable position during sleep, avoid alcohol, sedatives, and treat comorbidities.

You usually need to undergo an ENT surgery to remove the obstacle blocking the free flow of air. An absolute indication for treatment is the severe and moderate form with concomitant somnolence. The treatment of choice is positive airway pressure breathing with an air prosthesis.

Thanks to this method, snoring and apnea are eliminated, the proper structure of sleep is restored, the body's oxygenation is correct, and AUN functions are restored. The symptoms of fatigue and drowsiness also disappear. You can use:

  • CPAP- the device forces air through a tightly fitting mask into the lungs, throughout the night, under a predetermined increased pressure; because the airway resistance is individually variable, so the patient should have the lowest effective pressure selected during the PSG test, CPAP devices are reimbursed by the National He alth Fund
  • auto CPAP- the device recognizes respiratory phases, automatically adjusts the pressure to the current resistance of the upper respiratory tract and enables treatment control
  • BiPAP- differentiates inhalation from exhalation, changing the pressure accordingly (expiratory pressure is lower), which increases sleeping comfort

In the treatment of sleep apnea, dental prostheses are also used to enlarge the space of the throat. They can be:

  • positioning dentures in one fixed position
  • dentures with adjustable mandible protrusion.

Snoring may be a symptom of sleep apnea:

Category:

Respiratory system