SLEEP APNEA
• Sleep apnea is defined as the cessation of airflow 
at the nose andvmouth lasting at least 10 
seconds. 
• Sleep apnea is quantified using polysomnography 
(PSG) and is classified into two major categories: 
• obstructive and central. 
• Central sleep apnea involves impairment of the 
respiratory drive, while obstructive sleep apnea is 
caused by intermittent upper airway obstruction.
• Some patients will experience both central 
and obstructive sleep apnea. 
• Patients with this sleep disorder have a high 
risk of morbidity and mortality
• Sleep apnea is very common. Approximately 9% 
of females and 24% of males experience sleep 
apnea. 
• Sleep apnea is two to three times more common 
in men, and it is more common in middle-aged 
men than in younger men. 
• As many as 80% of middle-aged men snore, and 
25% of heavy snorers have sleep apnea. 
• Sleep apnea may be less prevalent in elderly 
patients, and it is theorized that this may be 
evidenced by sleep apnea’s effect on mortality
OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA 
• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a potentially life-threatening 
condition characterized by snoring. 
• At one end of the spectrum are those individuals 
who snore intermittently with little sleep 
disruption, and at the other end are patients who 
snore heavily and have severe gas exchange 
disturbances and respiratory failure, causing 
them to gasp for air. 
• These episodes are repeated as often as 600 
times per night.
• As a result of these frequent arousals, hypoxia 
and sleep fragmentation occur. 
• Hypoxia may lead to daytime sleepiness, 
impaired attention and memory, and 
personality changes. 
• Individuals with sleep apnea are usually not 
aware of the snoring or respiratory pauses, 
and symptoms are most frequently reported 
by their bed partner.
• OSA is caused by occlusion of the upper airway 
due to factors such as obesity, and fixed upper 
airway lesions such as polyps, as well as enlarged 
tonsils or adenoids or the tongue. 
• It can also be caused by acromegaly, amyloidosis, 
and hypothyroidism, as well as neurological 
conditions that impair upper airway muscle tone. 
• Medical complications include arrhythmias, 
hypertension, cor pulmonale, and sudden death.
• Treatment of OSA must be individualized and depends 
on the severity of the disordered breathing and the 
amount of sleep disruption. 
• Patients with severe apnea (>20 episodes per hour on 
PSG and excessive daytime somnolence) and those 
with moderate apneas (5 to 20 episodes per hour on 
PSG and excessive daytime somnolence or other 
daytime symptoms) have shown significant 
improvement and reduction in mortality with 
treatment. 
• Nonpharmacologic measures are the treatments of 
choice.
• Weight loss may eliminate the apnea and reduce 
daytime hypersomnia; however, improvement is 
only limited. 
• Treatment of underlying causes of obstruction 
(e.g., tonsillectomy, nasal septal repair, and 
nonsedating antihistamines for allergic rhinitis) 
may eliminate apneas during sleep. 
• In patients with mild apnea and snoring with no 
daytime symptomatology, management may 
include avoidance of a supine sleep position.
• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) 
during sleep is the standard treatment for most 
patients with OSA. 
• CPAP acts as a splint to maintain the patency of 
the oropharynx during respiration. 
• Compliance is variable, ranging from 25% to 70%, 
and is the major limitationof this treatment. 
• One night of noncompliance results in a complete 
reversal of the gains made in daytime alertness
• The most important pharmacologic 
intervention is the avoidance of all CNS 
depressants (e.g., alcohol, anxiolytics, 
hypnotics, narcotics, and zolpidem). 
• Preliminary studies suggest that zaleplon does 
not interfere with respiratory function. 
• CNS depressant use is potentially lethal since 
it inhibits the brain’s reflex ability to cause a 
mini-arousal and resume breathing
• Medication therapy should be reserved for 
patients with mild OSA and those who are 
treatment resistant. 
• Protriptyline in doses of 10 to 30 mg daily 
reduces the frequency of apneas and 
increases oxygen saturation.
• The mechanism of action may be related to a 
decrease in REM sleep, the sleep stage in 
which most apneas occur. 
• Imipramine was found to exert similar effects 
to protriptyline in two uncontrolled studies. 
• Fluoxetine and paroxetine have shown results 
similar to those of protriptyline, with fewer 
adverse effects.
• The SSRIs may be preferable to tricyclic 
antidepressants due to their similar efficacy but 
fewer adverse effects. 
• Medroxyprogesterone (MPG) has proved 
disappointing in OSA, showing no results in curing 
nighttime apnea. 
• In contrast, MPG does appear to have a beneficial 
effect in daytime hypercapnia. 
• At present the only role for MPG is in OSA 
patients with awake respiratory failure or 
noncompliance with CPAP.
• Theophylline is a respiratory stimulant that has 
been frequently used in patients with OSA. 
• Studies with theophylline have shown 
questionable efficacy. 
• Some studies have shown a reduction in 
obstructive events, but an increase in the number 
of arousals, increasing daytime sleepiness. 
• Mixed reviews have also been found for 
antihypertensive agents.
• Studies have evaluated the effects of 
angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, 
calcium channel blockers, metoprolol, and 
clonidine, showing reduction in the frequency 
of apnea. 
• Studies have also shown that 
antihypertensives can increase OSA. 
• Thus the efficacy of these agents is unclear.
CENTRAL SLEEP APNEA 
• Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a form of apnea in 
which breathing effort is not detected, in contrast 
to obstructive apnea, in which attempts at 
breathing are vigorous. 
• CSA makes up only 10% of all apneas. 
Hypercapnic patients usually present with a 
morning headache and daytime somnolence, 
while nonhypercapnic patients complain of 
insomnia and nocturnal awakenings with 
shortness of breath or gasping.
• Although the majority of cases are idiopathic, 
identifiable causes are nasal obstruction, 
autonomic nervous system lesions (e.g., 
cervical cordotomy), neurological diseases 
(e.g., poliomyelitis, encephalitis, and 
myasthenia gravis), and congestive heart 
failure.
• The primary treatment approach for CSAis 
supplemental oxygen and CPAP. 
• Pharmacologic treatments include 
acetazolamide, theophylline, and MPG. 
• Acetazolamide induces a metabolic acidosis 
that stimulates respiratory drive. 
• Long-term studies have shown a 70% 
reduction in CSA with acetazolamide, and no 
effect on obstructed breathing events.
• It has been suggested that acetazolamide 
induces a resetting of the CO2 response 
threshold. 
• Clinical use is limited because of adverse 
effects such as electrolyte changes, 
paresthesias, and precipitation of calcium 
phosphate salts in alkaline urine. 
• Theophylline may have some efficacy in CSA 
related to congestive heart failure.
• In one trial there was a 60% reduction in 
central apneas per hour of sleep compared 
with 20% with placebo,29 but further study is 
needed. 
• In nonhypercapnic CSA patients, treatment 
may consist of benzodiazepines (triazolam or 
temazepam) to reduce arousals, and 
acetazolamide, CPAP, and oxygen to stabilize 
breathing patterns

Sleep apnea

  • 1.
  • 2.
    • Sleep apneais defined as the cessation of airflow at the nose andvmouth lasting at least 10 seconds. • Sleep apnea is quantified using polysomnography (PSG) and is classified into two major categories: • obstructive and central. • Central sleep apnea involves impairment of the respiratory drive, while obstructive sleep apnea is caused by intermittent upper airway obstruction.
  • 3.
    • Some patientswill experience both central and obstructive sleep apnea. • Patients with this sleep disorder have a high risk of morbidity and mortality
  • 4.
    • Sleep apneais very common. Approximately 9% of females and 24% of males experience sleep apnea. • Sleep apnea is two to three times more common in men, and it is more common in middle-aged men than in younger men. • As many as 80% of middle-aged men snore, and 25% of heavy snorers have sleep apnea. • Sleep apnea may be less prevalent in elderly patients, and it is theorized that this may be evidenced by sleep apnea’s effect on mortality
  • 5.
    OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA • Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by snoring. • At one end of the spectrum are those individuals who snore intermittently with little sleep disruption, and at the other end are patients who snore heavily and have severe gas exchange disturbances and respiratory failure, causing them to gasp for air. • These episodes are repeated as often as 600 times per night.
  • 6.
    • As aresult of these frequent arousals, hypoxia and sleep fragmentation occur. • Hypoxia may lead to daytime sleepiness, impaired attention and memory, and personality changes. • Individuals with sleep apnea are usually not aware of the snoring or respiratory pauses, and symptoms are most frequently reported by their bed partner.
  • 7.
    • OSA iscaused by occlusion of the upper airway due to factors such as obesity, and fixed upper airway lesions such as polyps, as well as enlarged tonsils or adenoids or the tongue. • It can also be caused by acromegaly, amyloidosis, and hypothyroidism, as well as neurological conditions that impair upper airway muscle tone. • Medical complications include arrhythmias, hypertension, cor pulmonale, and sudden death.
  • 8.
    • Treatment ofOSA must be individualized and depends on the severity of the disordered breathing and the amount of sleep disruption. • Patients with severe apnea (>20 episodes per hour on PSG and excessive daytime somnolence) and those with moderate apneas (5 to 20 episodes per hour on PSG and excessive daytime somnolence or other daytime symptoms) have shown significant improvement and reduction in mortality with treatment. • Nonpharmacologic measures are the treatments of choice.
  • 9.
    • Weight lossmay eliminate the apnea and reduce daytime hypersomnia; however, improvement is only limited. • Treatment of underlying causes of obstruction (e.g., tonsillectomy, nasal septal repair, and nonsedating antihistamines for allergic rhinitis) may eliminate apneas during sleep. • In patients with mild apnea and snoring with no daytime symptomatology, management may include avoidance of a supine sleep position.
  • 10.
    • Continuous positiveairway pressure (CPAP) during sleep is the standard treatment for most patients with OSA. • CPAP acts as a splint to maintain the patency of the oropharynx during respiration. • Compliance is variable, ranging from 25% to 70%, and is the major limitationof this treatment. • One night of noncompliance results in a complete reversal of the gains made in daytime alertness
  • 11.
    • The mostimportant pharmacologic intervention is the avoidance of all CNS depressants (e.g., alcohol, anxiolytics, hypnotics, narcotics, and zolpidem). • Preliminary studies suggest that zaleplon does not interfere with respiratory function. • CNS depressant use is potentially lethal since it inhibits the brain’s reflex ability to cause a mini-arousal and resume breathing
  • 12.
    • Medication therapyshould be reserved for patients with mild OSA and those who are treatment resistant. • Protriptyline in doses of 10 to 30 mg daily reduces the frequency of apneas and increases oxygen saturation.
  • 13.
    • The mechanismof action may be related to a decrease in REM sleep, the sleep stage in which most apneas occur. • Imipramine was found to exert similar effects to protriptyline in two uncontrolled studies. • Fluoxetine and paroxetine have shown results similar to those of protriptyline, with fewer adverse effects.
  • 14.
    • The SSRIsmay be preferable to tricyclic antidepressants due to their similar efficacy but fewer adverse effects. • Medroxyprogesterone (MPG) has proved disappointing in OSA, showing no results in curing nighttime apnea. • In contrast, MPG does appear to have a beneficial effect in daytime hypercapnia. • At present the only role for MPG is in OSA patients with awake respiratory failure or noncompliance with CPAP.
  • 15.
    • Theophylline isa respiratory stimulant that has been frequently used in patients with OSA. • Studies with theophylline have shown questionable efficacy. • Some studies have shown a reduction in obstructive events, but an increase in the number of arousals, increasing daytime sleepiness. • Mixed reviews have also been found for antihypertensive agents.
  • 16.
    • Studies haveevaluated the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, metoprolol, and clonidine, showing reduction in the frequency of apnea. • Studies have also shown that antihypertensives can increase OSA. • Thus the efficacy of these agents is unclear.
  • 17.
    CENTRAL SLEEP APNEA • Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a form of apnea in which breathing effort is not detected, in contrast to obstructive apnea, in which attempts at breathing are vigorous. • CSA makes up only 10% of all apneas. Hypercapnic patients usually present with a morning headache and daytime somnolence, while nonhypercapnic patients complain of insomnia and nocturnal awakenings with shortness of breath or gasping.
  • 18.
    • Although themajority of cases are idiopathic, identifiable causes are nasal obstruction, autonomic nervous system lesions (e.g., cervical cordotomy), neurological diseases (e.g., poliomyelitis, encephalitis, and myasthenia gravis), and congestive heart failure.
  • 19.
    • The primarytreatment approach for CSAis supplemental oxygen and CPAP. • Pharmacologic treatments include acetazolamide, theophylline, and MPG. • Acetazolamide induces a metabolic acidosis that stimulates respiratory drive. • Long-term studies have shown a 70% reduction in CSA with acetazolamide, and no effect on obstructed breathing events.
  • 20.
    • It hasbeen suggested that acetazolamide induces a resetting of the CO2 response threshold. • Clinical use is limited because of adverse effects such as electrolyte changes, paresthesias, and precipitation of calcium phosphate salts in alkaline urine. • Theophylline may have some efficacy in CSA related to congestive heart failure.
  • 21.
    • In onetrial there was a 60% reduction in central apneas per hour of sleep compared with 20% with placebo,29 but further study is needed. • In nonhypercapnic CSA patients, treatment may consist of benzodiazepines (triazolam or temazepam) to reduce arousals, and acetazolamide, CPAP, and oxygen to stabilize breathing patterns