Sleep apnoea

A common feature of sleep apnoea is snoring, although snoring does not necessarily occur in all sleep apnoea patients.

What does sleep apnoea do?

In people who have sleep apnoea, during the night the walls of their throat come together and partially or fully obstruct the airway. Breathing stops for a period until a drop in blood oxygen levels triggers the brain to begin waking up.

As the brain begins to wake up, muscle tone returns to the throat. Normal breathing resumes and the sleeper falls back to sleep.

In most cases the sleeper is not aware of waking. This pattern can repeat throughout the night, interrupting normal sleep patterns and putting extra strain on the heart.

Symptoms of sleep apnoea

Symptoms of sleep apnoea are:

• daytime sleepiness, fatigue and tiredness
• poor concentration
• irritability and mood changes
• impotence and reduced sex drive
• need to frequently urinate during the night
• witnessed apnoeas

Treatment options for sleep apnoea

Lifestyle changes

Treatment can involve making lifestyle changes such as:

• weight reduction
• reducing alcohol intake
• improving cardiovascular health

CPAP therapy

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the most effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea.

The sleeper wears a mask that transmits increased air pressure into the airway, preventing the walls of the throat from collapsing during the night. The key to successful CPAP therapy is finding the right mask and air pressure for the patient.

Dental appliances

Mandibular advancement splint (MAS) devices are mouth guards that hold the bottom jaw forward during sleep. They can be effective for less severe forms of sleep apnoea.

Surgery

Although not always effective, surgery to the palate and base of tongue may be useful when other therapies fail.