CbsLrucLlve Sleep Apnea

8rlana kllgore
nurslng rocess Level 1














We all probably know someone and/or have slepL ln Lhe same room or household wlLh
someone who has sleep apnea And we know LhaL lf you need peace and quleL aL resL Llme
LhaL's noL Lyplcal wlLh someone who has sleep apnea CbsLrucLlve sleep apnea ls Lhe mosL
common Lype and ls caused by obsLrucLlon of Lhe upper alrway
All of Lhe muscles ln our body become more relaxed durlng sleep Lhls lncludes Lhe
muscles LhaL help keep Lhe alrway open and allow alr Lo flow lnLo Lhe lungs Powever some
people have a narrower LhroaL area When Lhe muscles ln Lhelr upper LhroaL relax durlng sleep
Lhelr breaLhlng can sLop for a perlod of Llme (ofLen more Lhan 10 seconds) 1hls ls called apnea
1he snorlng ln people wlLh obsLrucLlve sleep apnea ls caused by Lhe alr Lrylng Lo squeeze
Lhrough Lhe narrowed or blocked alrway Powever everyone who snores does noL have sleep
apnea Pere are some oLher facLors LhaL may lncrease Lhe rlsk for sleep apnea accordlng Lo pub
med healLh
O erLaln shapes of Lhe palaLe or alrway LhaL cause Lhe alrway Lo be narrower or
collapse more easlly
O Large Lonslls and adenolds ln chlldren LhaL can block Lhe alrway
O Large neck or collar slze (17 lnches or more ln men and 16 lnches or more ln women)
O Large Longue whlch may fall back and block Lhe alrway
O CbeslLy
Sleeplng on Lhe back also lncreases sleep apnea eplsodes
An eplsode of obsLrucLlve sleep apnea usually beglns wlLh snorlng LhereafLer breaLhlng
ceases followed by marked snorLlng as breaLhlng resumes 1oward Lhe end of each apnelc
eplsode lncreased carbon dloxlde levels ln Lhe blood cause Lhe cllenL Lo wake (kozler 1173)
Slgns and sympLoms lnclude unexplalned dayLlme sleeplness resLless sleep and as
prevlously menLloned loud snorlng (wlLh perlods of sllence followed by gasps) Less common
sympLoms are mornlng headaches lnsomnla Lrouble concenLraLlng lrrlLablllLy anxleLy and
depresslon
uependlng on Lhe obsLrucLlon and reason for sleep apnea Lhe followlng LreaLmenLs and
lnLervenLlons are some posslblllLles enlarged Lonslls may be removed laser removal of excess
Llssue ln Lhe pharynx may reduce or ellmlnaLe snorlng and may be effecLlve ln rellevlng Lhe
apnea ln oLher cases Lhe use of a nasal conLlnuous poslLlve alrway pressure (A) devlce aL
nlghL ls effecLlve ln malnLalnlng an open alrway (kozler 1173) Also welghL loss can help
decrease Lhe severlLy of sympLoms
















eferences

8erman A Lrb C kozler 8 Snyder S! looJomeotols of Notsloq coocepts ltocess ooJ
ltoctlce upper Saddle lver n! earson LducaLlon lnc 2008 h 43 Sleep pg 1173
hLLp//wwwncblnlmnlhgov/pubmedhealLh/MP0001814/