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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Central sleep apnea is a disorder in which your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep due to lack of respiratory effort. Unlike obstructive sleep apnea, in which you can't breathe normally because of upper airway obstruction, central sleep apnea occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control your breathing. Central sleep apnea is less common, accounting for less than 5 percent of sleep apneas.

Central sleep apnea may occur as a result of other conditions, such as heart failure and stroke. Sleeping at a high altitude also may cause central sleep apnea.

Treatments for central sleep apnea may involve using a device to keep your upper airway open or using supplemental oxygen.

Symptoms

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References
  1. Badr MS. Central sleep apnea syndrome: Risk factors, clinical presentation, and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 17, 2009.
  2. Douglas NJ. Sleep apnea. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2869549. Accessed April 17, 2009.
  3. Central sleep apnea. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec05/ch061/ch061d.html. Accessed April 17, 2009.
  4. Eckert, DJ. Central sleep apnea: Pathophysiology and treatment. Chest. 2007;131:595.
  5. Ropper AH, et al. Sleep and its abnormalities. In: Ropper AH, et al. Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology. 9th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3633173. Accessed April 17, 2009.
  6. Weil JV. Sleep at high altitude. High Altitude Medicine and Biology. 2004;5:180.
  7. Eckert DJ, et al. Mechanisms of apnea. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases. 2009;51:313.
  8. Leung RST. Sleep-disordered breathing: Autonomic mechanisms and arrhythmias. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases. 2009;51:324.
  9. Badr MS. Central sleep apnea syndrome: Treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 17, 2009.
  10. Randerrath WJ. Combined adaptive servo-ventilation and automatic positive airway pressure (anticyclic modulated ventilation) in co-existing obstructive and central sleep apnea syndrome and periodic breathing. Sleep Medicine. 2009. In press. Accessed April 17, 2009.
  11. Hastings PC. Adaptive servo-ventilation in heart failure patients with sleep apnea: A real world study. International Journal of Cardiology. 2008. In press. Accessed April 17, 2009.
  12. Morgenthaler TI (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 22, 2009.

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June 16, 2009

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