The Facts About Complex Sleep Apnea
Complex sleep apnea is a form of sleep apnea. When treated with CPAP or BIPAP, those who suffer from complex sleep apnea convert from having predominately obstructive sleep apnea events to having mostly central sleep apnea events.
Obstructive sleep apnea is the absence of breathing during sleep due to an obstruction or partial obstruction in the airway. It occurs because of an anatomical problem in the airway or because tissue blocks the airway when it relaxes in the throat upon the person going to sleep. This can happen due to being overweight and having too much tissue in the throat, or aging can be a factor causing tissue to block the airway.
Central sleep apnea occurs when both airflow and the effort to breathe stops. It is caused by the temporary absence of a signal to breathe from the brain. When this happens, of course, there is no effort from the individual to take a breath. Central sleep apnea causes low oxygen levels at night and an increased load on the heart. Blood pressures can fluctuate and sleep is disrupted.
While using a CPAP machine is the treatment of choice for those who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, in individuals with complex sleep apnea, CPAP causes central sleep apnea to emerge. The challenge to treat patients with complex sleep apnea is complicated because of their intolerance of CPAP or BIPAP use. There is a lack in resolution of symptoms.
There are new units available that deal with the problems of complex sleep apnea. One of these is the Resmed VPAP Adapt SV. It is an FDA cleared device designed specifically to treat those who suffer from central sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea. These machines offer what is known as adaptive servo-ventilation to adapt to a patients need on a breath to breath basis, which insures optimal therapy.
If you are on a CPAP or BIPAP device for obstructive sleep apnea and are not feeling the benefits that adequate therapy should bring, you may want to speak with your sleep specialist about the possibility that you suffer from complex sleep apnea. If you had a CPAP titration study in a sleep disorders center, your sleep specialist should be able to determine if you are a candidate for a Resmed VPAP Adapt SV unit.
