Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. There are two types of sleep apnea:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): The more common of the two forms of apnea, it is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses.
- Central sleep apnea: Unlike OSA, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe due to instability in the respiratory control center.
Sleep apnea is diagnosed with a “sleep study”. This test can be done in a sleep lab, or in your home. The test is comprised of two parts: diagnosis and titration. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea you will be tested with a device called a CPAP. This device applies to your airway while you sleep and prevents the soft tissue from collapsing. The titration portion of the test involves measuring the minimum amount of pressure required to keep the airway open. This measurement is expressed in centimeters of water (ex: 10cm/h20).
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