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Central sleep apnea   

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Sleep apnea - central; Ondine's curse

Definition:

Cessation of breathing during sleep caused by problems with brain mechanisms that control breathing. It is not the more common sleep apnea caused by obesity or other problems which results in loud snoring.

Causes and Risks

Central sleep apnea is rare in the general population. It occurs in patients with a variety of of severe and life threatening lower brain stem lesions such as bulbar poliomyelitis, encephalitis affecting the brainstem, neurodegenerative illnesses, stroke affecting the brainstem, complications of surgery of the cervical spine, or primary hypoventilation syndrome. The brainstem controls breathing. As a result, any disease or injury affecting this area may result in problems with normal breathing during sleep.

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