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Sleep apnea is a condition where the individual who snores literally stops breathing during sleep. If left untreated, sleep apnea can be potentially life threatening over a period of time.
Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a blockage in the airways. This is caused by the tissue at the back of the throat relaxing and collapsing during sleep. The brain will awaken the sleeping person to remind them to breathe and thus ensure that the body receives enough oxygen to survive. As a consequence of this, people with sleep apnea end up having unsatisfying and broken sleep.
The hallmark symptom of sleep apnea is excessive daytime sleepiness. Other sleep apnea symptoms include:
- Restless sleep
- Loud snoring (with periods of silence followed by gasps, suggests obstructive sleep apnea)
- Falling asleep during the day
- Morning headaches classically follows sleep apnea
- Trouble concentrating due to lack of sleep
- Irritability, forgetfulness, mood and personality changes.
Consequences of sleep apnea:
Sleep apnea patients are at risk for developing hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, cardiac failure, erratic heart rhythms and Sudden Death at night during sleep.
Who should get a sleep study done?
- Any young hypertensive (as sleep apnea could be the cause of high blood pressure.)
- Obese patients who snore and have gaps in their breathing or choking sounds are heard by the partner.
- Snorers who are excessively sleepy in the day time.
- An obese hypertensive whose blood pressure is not coming under control.
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Airway Closure During Sleep - Apneic | Apneic Patient (Mid- Sagittal Section) |
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Normal Subject (Mid - Segmental Section) | Soft Tissue Comparison of an Apneic and a Normal |
Procedure:
Any patient who falls in these categories will be evaluated clinically by the sleep specialist and the ENT surgeon.
The sleep technician then visits the patient at night in the comfort of the patients home or hotel room and connects the machine which will record the data from the patient through the night.
The recorder is then collected in the morning and the data is analysed.
If the test is positive for obstructive sleep apnea then the patient is given a machine to use the next night called the Automatic CPAP, in which a face mask is attached to a tube and a machine that blows pressurized air into the mask and through the airway to keep it open.
There are also surgical procedures that can be used to remove tissue and widen the airway to relieve sleep apnea.
It is important to note that a CPAP machine does not do any actual breathing for the patient - so there is no risk from becoming dependent or losing the ability to breathe naturally. The stream of air works to maintain an open airway so that when you do inhale naturally there is no obstruction or neurological problem that prevents the air from traveling properly to the lungs.
Pricing:
The test costs Rs. 8000/ for the two nights study.
For Appointments:
SRL Diagnostics - Jankharia Imaging
Bhaveshwar Vihar.
383, Sardar V. P. Road,
Mumbai 400 004 .
Tel: +91-22-6617-3344 Fax: 022 2382 9595
Email: info@srl.in
Website: www.srldiagnostics.com