Sleep Apnea Types

Three sleep apnea types exist: obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea and mixed or complex sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type and often the easiest to treat.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by a physical blockage in the airways, usually by soft tissue in the rear of the throat that collapses and closes during sleep. This tissue blockage does not allow the individual to suck air into their lungs. During sleep, the individual will usually make grunting, gasping or snorting sounds and exhibit restless body movements, such as jimmying arms and legs. The sleep apnea sufferer will begin snoring loudly once their breathing resumes. Upon waking, the individual usually has no recollection of these episodes but subsequent sleep is fragmented and of poor quality.

The lack of breath causes the oxygen levels in a sleep apnea sufferer’s blood to go down while the carbon dioxide levels rise, forcing the heart and blood vessels to work overtime. This can affect the heart rate and nervous system, and could lead to hypertension and coronary artery disease. The episodes can last anywhere from ten seconds to a minute in adults; obstructive sleep apnea symptoms are often shorter in children.

Central Sleep Apnea

Central sleep apnea is characterized by Cheyne-Stoke Respiration, an abnormal breathing pattern first noted by physicians John Cheyne and William Stokes. It is often seen during the throes of death; breathing gradually becomes more shallow with longer intervals in between each breath. Just as it seems breathing has ceased, the patient will take a deep breath and start the process over again. Central sleep apnea is much less common than obstructive sleep apnea, but it is exponentially more dangerous. Episodes generally last ten seconds for adults and a shorter time for children. Unlike obstructive sleep apnea, those suffering from central sleep apnea sometimes remember the episodes upon waking and often experience severe headaches.

Central sleep apnea is not the result of a physical blockage in the airways; instead, it is the result of a glitch in the brain’s respiratory control functioning. The central respiratory drive is absent and the brain is not able to respond to changes in respiratory gases. Central sleep apnea may be caused by a disease or injury of the brainstem, including stroke, brain tumor, viral brain infection or chronic respiratory disease. A patient suffering from central sleep apnea does not struggle or make any attempts to breath; they are simply still during an episode. The lack of breath causes the same hypoxia and hypercapnia seen in obstructive sleep apnea, but the results can be more severe. Brain functioning is the problem, not a disruptive physical blockage; therefore, the patient is often not roused from sleep. This can lead to severe brain damage, seizures, angina, heart attack, arrhythmia or even death. If the patient does manage to recover from the episode, breathing may become faster to expel excessive gas and absorb more oxygen.

Mixed/Complex Sleep Apnea

The third sleep apnea type is called either mixed sleep apnea or complex sleep apnea. Exactly like it sounds, this sleep apnea type is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apneas. An individual suffering from this sleeping disorder has both a physical blockage in the airways and an imbalance of brain functioning. They experience the same changes in blood oxygen levels and exhibit symptoms of both disorders. Mixed or complex sleep apnea is an extremely rare condition, requiring treatments to combat both sleep apneas.