Patient/caregiver were instructed regarding complications of poorly managed central sleep apnea as follows:
Mental health deterioration:
- Poorly managed sleep apnea can result in interrupted sleep pattern with multiple awakenings during the night. Lack of sleep and proper rest can lead to poor relaxation and compromised stress relief.
- This can lead to anxiety states and deterioration of mental health with altered behavior patterns.
- Individuals with history of anxiety, depression, and psychosis with co-existing sleep apnea can present with worsening of mental health status, secondary to poor rest.
Risk for falls & accidents:
- Lack of sleep during the night can lead to drowsiness and sleepy state during the day, as a compensatory measure.
- This reduced alert state during the daytime can lead to falls & accidents compromising the individual’s safety and security.
- Poorly rested state can impair an individual’s decision making capacity and compromise the attention span.
- Driving and discharging job duties in a sleepy state can result in road and workplace accidents, compromising safety for self and others around.
Strained personal/family relations:
- Snoring through the night can lead to disturbance of sleep to the partner, contributing to the partner’s poorly rested state and daytime fatigue.
- This can affect the partner’s job & academic performance too and thus, can strain personal/family relations.
- Listlessness and fatigue can also show on an individual’s sexual performance, contributing to worsening of relationship with the partner.
