The most common sleep apnea disorder is Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or OSA. OSA is a respiratory disorder that occurs while sleeping; the tissues at the back of the throat collapse and block the air passage, causing you to stop breathing. This blockage can occur anywhere from a few times to hundreds of times in a night. Clearly OSA is a very serious disorder and is deadly for thousands.
Some indications that you might have OSA are:
- Snoring
- Daytime sleepiness
- Insomnia
- Waking from sleep by choking or gasping for air
- Fatigue
- Unrefreshing sleep
- Sore throat in the mornings
Most patients diagnosed with OSA are overweight and many suffer from high blood pressure.
Central Sleep Apnea, or CSA, is another form of sleep apnea that is a weakened or cessation of effort by the body to breath while sleeping and even during awake times. This is not caused by an obstruction, but by a problem with the brain or heart. There are five different categories for CSA in adults. Primary CSA has no known cause, and is diagnosed by the breathing pattern having a repetitive lack of effort. Cheyne-Stokes Breathing Pattern produces CSA and is caused by heart failure, stroke or a possible kidney problem. Medical Condition Not Cheyne-Stokes is CSA caused by heart and kidney problems or a problem at the base of the brain and occurs without the Cheyne-Stokes breathing pattern present. High-Altitude Periodic Breathing occurs in some people when sleeping at an altitude higher than 15,000 feet. Finally CSA can also be due to a drug or substance, mainly opioid use for longer than two months.
The indications of CSA are similar to those of OSA:
- Disrupted sleep with frequent awakenings
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Daytime sleepiness
- Snoring
- Pauses in breathing
- Waking up short of breath