Central Sleep Apnea: A Cause of Concern

Central sleep apnea is a serious form of sleep apnea, which is caused by a malfunction between the brain and the central nervous system. People who have central apnea are seriously ill, with some type of malfunction in the lower brainstem. It is this part of the brain that controls breathing, and when bacterial infections or an injury affects it, the communication between the brain and the respiratory system doesn't work the way it should.

A person with central sleep apnea may not breathe for a relatively long period of time, possibly more than a minute, and then start to inhale rapidly. This condition causes the process of exhaling to be difficult, because the brain is unable to relay messages to the right muscles. If a loved one has been diagnosed with this medical problem, it may be helpful to understand a few basic facts.

Causes And Risk Factors

This condition can be caused by an injury to the brainstem or a severe illness, such as bulbar poliomyelitis, encephalitis, a stroke or a neurodegenerative illness. Central sleep apnea can also occur in cases of severe arthritis or other degenerative changes in the cervical spinal column. All of these examples of possible causes show very serious and life-threatening situations. A person with this disorder, combined with one of the causative illnesses described, should be admitted to the hospital for urgent care.

Treatment And Prognosis

If the central sleep apnea is caused by an injury to the brainstem area, there is usually very little to do in the way of treatment. Doctors can try to manage the apnea episodes with drugs, but if the part of the brain that regulates breathing is severely damaged, a full recovery is not expected.

If the central sleep apnea is caused by a bacterial infection, aggressive antibiotic treatments will be used. Anti-depressants are prescribed to regulate the breathing, but it may take a while for the right combination of drugs to take effect. Sleep apnea machines that are used for the less serious type of this disorder have been found to be ineffective with this condition.

Yes, a person can be cured of central sleep apnea, but only if the underlying condition is diagnosed and able to be treated. Since this condition is caused by a malfunction of the neurological system, doctors can only manage the symptoms and try to restore the delicate communication network between the brain and the respiratory organs. Sadly, in many cases this cannot be done.

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