Introduction Sleep apnea is a disorder in which breathing is interrupted due to obstruction of the airway. While the individual is asleep, they are unable to breathe for short increments of time. These increments can lasts from 10 seconds to a minute and can occur multiple times during the night. Sleep apnea can be induced by obesity, age, gender, and other factors that are vital to the diagnosis of the disorder. Those suffering from sleep apnea may appear to act abnormally and have cognitive impairment while they are awake. Even though sleep apnea cannot be prevented it can be treated through various treatments. All of these points above will be discussed further in the following paragraphs to give more insight into sleep apnea and it’s pathophysiology,
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During the day the individual has no problems with breathing in any way, but as they sleep their airway becomes blocked (Dempsey, Jerome A. et al, 2010.). The blockage prevents air from reaching the lungs and causes the individual to jolt awake. During the sleeping hours, the pharyngeal soft tissue does not collapse the way it is supposed to, instead the soft tissue narrows the airway causing problems with breathing (Ho, Matthew L., Steven D. Brass, 2011.). Lack of collapsing with the pharyngeal soft tissue can be attributed to deformities in the soft tissue as well as tissue deposits. These imperfections in the soft tissue allow for partial closure of the airway, which also can be caused by abnormal pressure from the tissue. Obesity, male gender, and age are also factors contributing to sleep apnea. Obesity allows for more fat deposits to be sent all over the body, including the muscle tissue. These fat deposits cause an increase in the airway and compress the walls which narrows the complete airway. Fat deposits also decrease the volume of the lungs which prevents the air from the lungs to pull down the pharyngeal tissue and therefore prevents air from entering the lungs. Genetics can even influence the pathology of sleep apnea through obesity (Campana, Lisa et al, 2010). Age weakens the muscle tissues in our body and causes low pressure and air intake. The male gender is also more at risk for sleep apnea because males tend to have more fat deposits and are not protected by hormones like women are. Men sex hormones decrease with weight and age while women’s hormones continue until their
During the day the individual has no problems with breathing in any way, but as they sleep their airway becomes blocked (Dempsey, Jerome A. et al, 2010.). The blockage prevents air from reaching the lungs and causes the individual to jolt awake. During the sleeping hours, the pharyngeal soft tissue does not collapse the way it is supposed to, instead the soft tissue narrows the airway causing problems with breathing (Ho, Matthew L., Steven D. Brass, 2011.). Lack of collapsing with the pharyngeal soft tissue can be attributed to deformities in the soft tissue as well as tissue deposits. These imperfections in the soft tissue allow for partial closure of the airway, which also can be caused by abnormal pressure from the tissue. Obesity, male gender, and age are also factors contributing to sleep apnea. Obesity allows for more fat deposits to be sent all over the body, including the muscle tissue. These fat deposits cause an increase in the airway and compress the walls which narrows the complete airway. Fat deposits also decrease the volume of the lungs which prevents the air from the lungs to pull down the pharyngeal tissue and therefore prevents air from entering the lungs. Genetics can even influence the pathology of sleep apnea through obesity (Campana, Lisa et al, 2010). Age weakens the muscle tissues in our body and causes low pressure and air intake. The male gender is also more at risk for sleep apnea because males tend to have more fat deposits and are not protected by hormones like women are. Men sex hormones decrease with weight and age while women’s hormones continue until their