Sleep apnea.. ?!
Question:
Sleep apnea.. ?
my dad was full asleep when all of a sudden he awoke in a flash gasping for a breath of air. this lasted for almost a minute. I did some research and found that he shows the symptoms of sleep apnea from this site; (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/... guess he was choking on his vomit in his sleep? Does anyone know how severe sleep apnea is? how easily can it be treated? we called the local hospital but they didnt have a nurse on call, does anyone have any advice on what we should do.. call an ambulance? or is it something that isnt likely to happen again?
Answers:
Sleep apnea can be fatal if it is untreated. It usually does not involve choking on one's own vomit, however. That would probably be caused by acid reflux. Sleep apnea comes in several forms, most commonly obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). With OSA, the airway is blocked, whether by the throat muscles constricting or the uvula (not the tonsils) sliding over the airway. Central sleep apnea is caused by the brain failing to communicate to the body to breathe. Therefore, there is absolutely no effort. Mixed apnea is a combination of central and obstructive apnea.
People with sleep apnea often feel tired/sleepy after getting a full-night's "rest". They are also prone to falling asleep at inconvenient or unsafe times (mid-conversation, sitting up and watching television, driving). They may also suffer from morning headaches and even frequent nightmares.
Sleep apnea is most commonly treated with a machine called a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). If after having undergone a sleep study, it is discovered that your father has sleep apnea, it will be recommended that he return for a second night which entails him being fitted with a mask that connects to the CPAP machine. There are nasal, oral, and full-face (sits over nose and mouth) masks. The CPAP simply blows air down the throat to keep the airway from closing. It uses filtered air from the room. There are no bells or whistles that alert him and arouse him from sleep when he stops breathing. That would defeat the purpose of the machine. It makes it possible for him to remain asleep by eliminating the apnea altogether (and any snoring if he has it).
Usually a physician has to refer patients to a sleep lab/center to have a study done. However, some labs take patients without referrals. You can visit http://www.sleepcenters.org to find the sleep lab/center nearest you. It is a good idea to go to one that is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. That way you can rest assured that the lab is following proven rules and regulations.