{"id":1049,"date":"2020-03-15T12:11:21","date_gmt":"2020-03-15T12:11:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/?p=1049"},"modified":"2020-07-23T12:53:03","modified_gmt":"2020-07-23T12:53:03","slug":"treatment-options-for-central-sleep-apnea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/treatment-options-for-central-sleep-apnea\/","title":{"rendered":"Treatment Options for Central Sleep Apnea"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A respiratory disorder that makes one stop and start breathing repeatedly during sleep is known as central sleep apnea. There are other types of this disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea, but the so-called central one occurs due to the poor connection between the brain and breathing control muscles. It&#8217;s much rarer than the obstructive sleep apnea, but also more concerning. After all, some of the more serious causes of central sleep apnea include conditions such as stroke or heart failure. In that respect, treating the preexisting conditions could also end up treating central sleep apnea, together with breathing devices and supplemental oxygen.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Symptoms of Central Sleep Apnea<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you\u2019re wondering whether you suffer from this disorder or not, consider the following central sleep apnea symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You or someone else have noticed clear stops and irregularities in your breathing during sleep<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You tend to wake up suddenly due to the lack of oxygen<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Breathing properly is difficult until you sit up straight<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You suffer from insomnia<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">During the day, you feel very sleepy and tired<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You feel the pain in your chest when you go to bed<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It\u2019s challenging for you to concentrate<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You suffer from mood swings and morning headaches<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You\u2019ve started snoring more obviously<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tolerance for physical activity is very low<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Keep in mind that snoring loudly doesn\u2019t have to be a sign of central sleep apnea per se. It\u2019s much more common in patients with obstructive sleep apnea or other disorders involving airflow obstructions. If you notice the first five above-listed symptoms continuously, you should seek medical help.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1051\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Symptoms-of-Central-Sleep-Apnea.jpg\" alt=\"Symptoms of Central Sleep Apnea\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Symptoms-of-Central-Sleep-Apnea-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Symptoms-of-Central-Sleep-Apnea-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Symptoms-of-Central-Sleep-Apnea-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Symptoms-of-Central-Sleep-Apnea-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Symptoms-of-Central-Sleep-Apnea-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Symptoms-of-Central-Sleep-Apnea-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Symptoms-of-Central-Sleep-Apnea.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Causes Central Sleep Apnea<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As mentioned, central sleep apnea happens when your brain is unable to send proper signals to the muscles that make you breathe. There are several different health conditions that could have a hand in causing central sleep apnea. In that respect, different central sleep apnea causes also create different types of sleep apnea.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Cheyne-Stokes Breathing<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cheyne-Stokes breathing is usually triggered by serious conditions such as stroke and heart failure. This particular type of central sleep apnea involves different effort levels in breathing. That said, breathing and airflow can increase at some point, but, on the other hand, they can also decrease for as low as stopping completely.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Drug-Induced Apnea<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some drugs can affect your breathing during sleep, even going as far as making you stop breathing completely for a short while. These are commonly opioid drugs such as morphine, oxycodone, codeine, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>High-Altitude Periodic Breathing<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">High-altitude periodic breathing has the same characteristics as Cheyne-Stokes breathing, but it typically occurs due to sleeping at very high altitudes.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Treatment-Emergent Central Sleep Apnea<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Treatment-emergent central sleep apnea is a rare condition that can sometimes happen to people who are already suffering from obstructive sleep apnea and use continuous positive airway pressure to treat it.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Medical Condition-Induced Central Sleep Apnea<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Central sleep apnea can also be triggered by other health conditions aside from stroke and heart failure, such as end-stage kidney disease, for example.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Idiopathic (Primary) Central Sleep Apnea<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unfortunately, there\u2019s no known cause for this particular type of central sleep apnea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One should never ignore central sleep apnea. This is a serious respiratory disorder that could lead to many other complications and a significant drop in the quality of life. Severe fatigue and daytime drowsiness are commonly associated with central sleep apnea and can cause a lot of problems for the affected individual. What\u2019s worse, the lack of necessary oxygen during sleep could end up affecting your heart health, which is even more dangerous when an underlying heart condition is present.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Treatments of Central Sleep Apnea<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Depending on your existing health conditions and the disorder you have, there are several different central sleep apnea treatment options.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Dealing with Associated Medical Problems<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As stated, a very common cause of sleep apnea can be found in other health conditions. In that sense, treating these conditions could end up treating the breathing issue as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Reducing the Dose of Opioid Medications<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In case the main culprit of your central sleep apnea is the opioid drug you\u2019re taking, chances are your doctor will reduce the dose of the said drug gradually.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Continuous_positive_airway_pressure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">CPAP <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">is basically a process that utilizes a mask that a patient should wear over their nose and mouth during sleep. It\u2019s commonly prescribed as a treatment for obstructive sleep apnea as the attached pump pushes pressurized air continuously. However, it\u2019s possible for the CPAP to keep the airways from closing, which can end up leading to central sleep apnea. Adjusting the air pressure is possible, so don\u2019t hesitate to talk to your doctor if you feel uncomfortable.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Adaptive Servo-Ventilation (ASV)<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In case CPAP wasn\u2019t a good treatment for your case of sleep apnea, you might be prescribed ASV, another type of device that delivers pressurized air into your airways. Essentially, ASV regulates the process of inhalation and balances out your breathing patterns. It can also stimulate a breath if you skip out on it for far too long. However, it\u2019s not a good solution for people with an underlying heart condition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1052\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Adaptive-Servo-Ventilation-ASV.jpg\" alt=\"Adaptive Servo-Ventilation (ASV)\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Adaptive-Servo-Ventilation-ASV-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Adaptive-Servo-Ventilation-ASV-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Adaptive-Servo-Ventilation-ASV-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Adaptive-Servo-Ventilation-ASV-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Adaptive-Servo-Ventilation-ASV-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Adaptive-Servo-Ventilation-ASV-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2020\/06\/Adaptive-Servo-Ventilation-ASV.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BPAP)<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">BPAP is very similar to ASV in the sense that it controls the air pressure for inhaling and exhaling. The difference is in the set amount of pressure that BPAP has. It can also deliver a breath in case the patient missed one for more than a couple of seconds. Still, BPAP is not recommended to people suffering from heart failure as it can end up worsening their condition.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Supplemental Oxygen<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are several different devices that can help with supplemental oxygen delivery to your lungs and airways while you sleep. Your doctor should determine the best one for you. Make sure to discuss your issues openly so that there\u2019s little to no room for any mistakes.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Medications for Central Sleep Apnea<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meds such as acetazolamide or theophylline are commonly used to treat central sleep apnea orally, as they stimulate the breathing process. They are also a good solution for high altitudes, where the air pressure is generally lower.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><b>Surgery<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Finally, if everything else fails, it\u2019s possible to get surgery that will manage the symptoms of central sleep apnea. This is especially effective for people with heart conditions. The process involves the implementation of a nerve stimulator inside the patient\u2019s chest that will then stimulate the brain-diaphragm nerve, thus regulating breathing during sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Keep in mind that it might take a while for you to get diagnosed with central sleep apnea. This is why it\u2019s so important to disclose all of your symptoms to your doctors quickly and thoroughly. You might be referred to a sleep specialist as well. It\u2019s also common for specialized medical professionals to be involved, such as neurologists and cardiologists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It&#8217;s important that you open up to a doctor that you can trust and feel comfortable with. We at Trogolo Obstetrics and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/gynecologist-jacksonville-florida\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gynecology <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">strive to provide all of our patients with the care, patience, understanding, and top-notch service that they deserve. At Trogolo Obstetrics and Gynecology you can count on friendly and experienced staff and a pleasant atmosphere that will help you relax and take the necessary steps to better your health. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A respiratory disorder that makes one stop and start breathing repeatedly during sleep is known as central sleep apnea. There<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1050,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[50,48,47,46,49],"class_list":["post-1049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-central-sleep-apnea","tag-causes-of-central-sleep-apnea","tag-central-sleep-apnea-causes","tag-central-sleep-apnea-symptoms","tag-central-sleep-apnea-treatment","tag-what-causes-central-sleep-apnea"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1049","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1049"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1049\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/trogolo-obstetrics-and-gynecology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}