Patient/caregiver were instructed regarding types of sleep apnea as follows:
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder with abnormal breathing pattern during sleeping hours. Individuals with sleep apnea can present with brief respiratory pauses during sleeping hours. The causes and contributing factors for the respiratory pause can vary widely, which determine the type of sleep apnea an individual has.
Sleep apnea can be broadly classified into the following types-
- Central sleep apnea: Central sleep apnea is a relatively less common type of sleep apnea, arising due to poorly performing brain. The poor brain function can result in deficient signal transmission to the muscles controlling & regulating the respiratory activity, lead to altered & poor performance of these muscles. Altered & poor performance of respiratory muscles result in respiratory pauses and central sleep apnea.
- Obstructive sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea is a relatively more common type of sleep apnea, arising due to excessive relaxation of and poorly functioning airway muscles in the throat. Excessive relaxation of and poorly functioning airway muscles in the throat lead to narrowing or closure of the respiratory airways, which results in respiratory pauses and obstructive sleep apnea.
- Mixed sleep apnea: Mixed sleep apnea is a condition occurring when an individual has episodes of both central and obstructive sleep apnea happening at the same time. Owing to the widely varying causes & contributing factors due to both central and obstructive origins, mixed sleep apnea could be a complex condition to manage and so, is also called complex sleep apnea.
