Wiktionary
alt. (context pathology English) Brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. n. (context pathology English) Brief interruptions of breathing during sleep.
WordNet
n. apnea that occurs during sleep
Wikipedia
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep. Each pause can last for a few seconds to several minutes and they happen many times a night. In the most common form this follows loud snoring. There may be a choking or snorting sound as breathing resumes. As it disrupts normal sleep, those affected are often sleepy or tired during the day. In children it may cause problems in school or hyperactivity.
There are three forms of sleep apnea: obstructive (OSA), central (CSA), and a combination of the two. OSA is the most common form. Risk factors for OSA include being overweight, a family history of the condition, allergies, and enlarged tonsils. In OSA, breathing is interrupted by a blockage of airflow, while in CSA breathing stops due to a lack of effort to breathe. People with sleep apnea are often not aware they have it. Often it is picked up by a family member. Sleep apnea is often diagnosed with an overnight sleep study. For a diagnosis of sleep apnea, more than five episodes an hour must occur.
Treatment may include lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, breathing devices, and surgery. Lifestyles changes may include avoiding alcohol, weight loss, stopping smoking, and sleeping on their side. Breathing devices include the use of a CPAP machine. Without treatment sleep apnea may increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, obesity, and motor vehicle collisions.
OSA affects 1-6% of adults and 2% of children. It affects males about twice as often as female. While people at any age can be affected it occurs most commonly among those 55 to 60 years old. Central sleep apnea affects less than one percent of people. A type of central sleep apnea was described in the German myth of Ondine's curse were when asleep the person would forget to breath.
Usage examples of "sleep apnea".
This kind of acute traumatic mandibulectomy without reconstruction, before decannulation of the tracheostomy tube can lead to sleep apnea, the doctors said.
Sleep problems also include sleeping too much, daytime sleepiness, bad dreams, fears of or resistance to going to sleep, snoring, restless legs, sleep apnea (disruption of breathing during sleep) and other difficulties.
According to the county, his high blood alcohol concentration might've caused sleep apnea.
At 10:00 they'd pop a little white pill and hurl themselves into hours of sleep apnea.
Asula was stretched out, like Big Mike, but Father Patrick's breathing would hitch, stop as though impacted by sleep apnea, and then resume, making Carlos wonder if the old man's heart would give out one night from it all.
There were two double beds, one of which had beside it the sort of oxygen bottle that a person who suffered from sleep apnea needed.