Sleep Apnea Clinic
Sleep apnea is a serious,
potentially life-threatening condition that is far more common than
generally understood. There are two types of sleep apnea: central and
obstructive. Central sleep apnea, which is less common, occurs when the brain
fails to send the appropriate signals to the breathing muscles to initiate
respirations. Obstructive sleep apnea is far more common and occurs when air
cannot flow into or out of the person's nose or mouth although efforts to
breathe continue.
In a given night, the number of involuntary
breathing pauses or "apneic
events" may be as high as 20 to
30 or more per hour. These breathing pauses are almost always accompanied by
snoring between apnea episodes, although not everyone who snores has this
condition. Sleep apnea can also be characterized by choking sensations. The
frequent interruptions of deep, restorative sleep often lead to early morning
headaches and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Early recognition and treatment
of sleep apnea is important because it may be associated with irregular
heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Sleep apnea
occurs in all age groups and both sexes, but is more common in men. People most
likely to have or develop sleep apnea include those who snore loudly and also
are overweight, or have high blood pressure, or have some physical abnormality
in the nose, throat, or other parts of the upper airway.
Diagnosis of sleep apnea is not
simple because there can be many different reasons for disturbed sleep.
Several tests are available for evaluating a person for sleep apnea.
Polysomnography is a test that records a variety of body functions during sleep,
such as the electrical activity of the brain, eye movement, muscle activity,
heart rate, respiratory effort, airflow, and blood oxygen levels. These tests
are used both to diagnose sleep apnea and to determine its severity.
In mild cases behavioral therapy
may be all that is needed. The individual should avoid the use of
alcohol, tobacco, and sleeping pills, which make the airway more likely to
collapse during sleep and prolong the apneic periods. Overweight persons can
benefit from losing weight – even a 10 percent loss in body weight can reduce
the number of apneic events for most patients. In some patients with mild sleep
apnea, breathing pauses occur only when they sleep on their backs. In such
cases, using pillows and other devices that help them sleep in a side position
is often helpful.
Nasal continuous positive airway
pressure (CPAP) is the most common effective treatment for sleep apnea.
In this procedure, the patient wears a mask over the nose during sleep,
and pressure from an air blower forces air through the nasal passages. The air
pressure is adjusted so that it is just enough to prevent the throat from
collapsing during sleep. The pressure is constant and continuous. Nasal CPAP
prevents airway closure while in use, but apnea episodes return when CPAP is
stopped or used improperly.
Some patients with sleep apnea
may need surgery. Several surgical procedures are used to increase
the size of the airway, such as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), laser-assisted
uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP), radio-frequency ablation therapy.
For more information, please contactt
Bangkok Ear, Nose & Throat Center
Tel. (662) 310 3010, (662) 310 3188
Email : info@bangkokhospital.com