Thursday, 19 June 2014
Central Sleep Apnea and Sleep-Related Hypoventilation
By JOHN M. GROHOL, PSY.D.
Obstructive
sleep apnea hypopnea is the most common breathing-related sleep disorder. It is
marked by nocturnal breathing disturbances described as “breathing pauses” or
gasping/snorting for air during the night, often resulting in daytime
sleepiness.
More
specifically, obstructive sleep apnea involves repeated episodes (at least 5
per hour of sleep per night) of upper airway obstruction (apneas or hypopneas)
during sleep. Apnea refers to the total absence of airflow,
and hypopnea refers to a reduction in airflow.
The
disorder requires that the daytime sleepiness, fatigue, or unrefreshing sleep
resulting is not better explained by another mental disorder (including a sleep
disorder, such as insomnia) and is not attributable to another medical
condition.
