The sleep apnea syndrome A. Sotiropoulos, Our.
Sleep apnea is defined as a greater than ten second pause in respiration during sleep.
The apnea terminates with an arousal from sleep due to hypercapnia and hypoxemia. With the restoration of ventilation the patient fulls asleep again only to have a new apnea episode an the viscous cycle to be repeated. Obstructive apnea symptoms include the lound intermittent snoring and the daytime sleepiness. The repeated hypoxaemic episodes lead to cardiovascular complications, such as arterial arrhythmias, hypertension and occasionaly pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure. The sleep apnea is a risk factor for ischaemic heart disease, myocardial infraction and stroke.