Central Sleep Apnea and Death

In this article I will be describing the connection between Central Sleep Apnea and Death.

When there is no flow of air into the lungs or outside from inside the lungs for a period greater than 10 seconds, the phenomenon is known as an Apnea. These apneas can be caused due to a variety of reasons, but they are broadly classified into:

1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Wherein a person stops breathing multiple times during a single night because of an obstruction in the respiratory tract.
2. Central Sleep Apnea: A condition where the person stops breathing because of a lack of response from the respiratory centre of the brain which controls the respiratory muscles i.e. the brain stem.

Both of the above types of Apnea’s can occur in varying amounts of severity from patient to patient. Depending on the severity, this condition can cause many secondary medical conditions and at times, death.

Connection between Severity of Apnea and Death

How severe your apneas attacks are plays a very big role in the subsequent medical problems which arise because of the condition. Severity of central sleep apnea is calculated by number of apneas which occur during a single night of sleep. If the numbers of apneas are low, then there is no need to worry, since the condition will usually resolve itself over time. If the numbers of apneas are moderate, then medication should be taken, since overtime it can cause medical conditions such as high blood pressure.

But if you suffer from severe central sleep apnea, then you need to take sufficient precautions to ensure that you remain healthy and strong throughout your life.

How Central Sleep Apnea Kills?

If the numbers of apneas are very high, the oxygen and carbon di oxide levels in your body will vacillate continuously. This vacillation will cause a shortage of oxygen inside the body, which can subsequently cause seizures, brain damage. At times, sudden death may occur, while the exact cause is not known, it is hypothesized that it is because of the lack of oxygen in the body, the additional stress which is placed on the body.

Risk of death in central sleep apnea is rare, but the chance is there, especially if ignored

While central sleep apnea deaths are low (when compared to obstructive sleep apnea deaths) and occur only in rare cases, the risk of death is still present, so if you are diagnosed with central sleep apnea, start using CPAP and other treatments for central sleep apnea. This will effectively obviate the risks associated with central sleep apnea.