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Complications

By Mayo Clinic staff

Central sleep apnea is a serious medical condition. Some complications include:

  • Fatigue. The repeated awakenings associated with sleep apnea make normal, restorative sleep impossible. People with central sleep apnea often experience severe daytime drowsiness, fatigue and irritability. You may have difficulty concentrating and find yourself falling asleep at work, while watching TV or even when driving.
  • Cardiovascular problems. In addition, sudden drops in blood oxygen levels that occur during central sleep apnea may adversely affect heart health. If there's underlying heart disease, these repeated multiple episodes of low blood oxygen (hypoxia or hypoxemia) worsen prognosis and increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms.
Preparing for your appointment Risk factors
References
  1. Badr MS. Central sleep apnea syndrome: Risk factors, clinical presentation, and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index/html. Accessed April 11, 2011.
  2. NINDS sleep apnea information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/sleep_apnea/sleep_apnea.htm. Accessed April 10, 2011.
  3. Javaheri S. Central sleep apnea. Clinics in Chest Medicine. 2010;31:235.
  4. Ropper AH, et al. Sleep and its abnormalities. In: Ropper AH, et al. Adams & Victor's Principles of Neurology. 9th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=54. Accessed April 8, 2011.
  5. Malhotra A. What is central sleep apnea? Respiratory Care. 2010;55:1168.
  6. Badr MS. Central sleep apnea syndrome: Pathogenesis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index/html. Accessed April 11, 2011.
  7. Budhiraja R. Sleep-disordered breathing and cardiovascular disorders. Respiratory Care. 2010;55:1322.
  8. Collop N. Portable monitoring in obstructive sleep apnea in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index/html. Accessed April 11, 2011.
  9. Millman RP. Polysomnography in obstructive sleep apnea in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index/html. Accessed April 11, 2011.
  10. Your guide to healthy sleep. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.pdf. Accessed April 9, 2011.
  11. Central sleep apnea. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/sec05/ch061/ch061d.html. Accessed April 12, 2011.
  12. Badr MS. Central sleep apnea: Treatment. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index/html. Accessed April 11, 2011.
  13. Hastings PC, et al. Adaptive servo-ventilation in heart failure patients with sleep apnea: A real world study. International Journal of Cardiology. 2010;139:17.
  14. Randerath WJ, et al. 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;10:898.
  15. Ono H, et al. Sleep apnea syndrome: Central sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension worsened during treatment with auto-CPAP, but improved by adaptive servo-ventilation. Internal Medicine. 2010;49:415.
  16. Olson EJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 15, 2011.
DS00995 June 16, 2011

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