Sleep apnoea

Sleep apnoea is an extended pause in breathing during sleep. Sleep apnoea is characterized as a disorder when the pauses in breathing are recurrent and give rise to other symptoms. The most typical cause of sleep apnoea is the obstruction of the airways by tissues in the throat. With at least 150,000 Finns suffering from sleep apnoea, it can be characterized as a national disease. The disorder is more prevalent among men than women.

As the sleep apnoea patient's heart tries to compensate for the lack of oxygen caused by the pauses in breathing, it increases the heart rate and has to work harder. Instead of getting rest, the patient's heart is thereby strained. This nocturnal cardiovascular exertion can even lead to a heart attack. It is estimated that one third of myocardial infarctions among Finns happen at night.

In a home test for sleep apnoea, the patient wears an easy-to-use measuring device and places three sensors on the body when going to bed. The device records signals during sleep and the user keeps notes of events such as getting out of bed at night. The collected data is then submitted via the Internet for analysis by a specialist, who will send the diagnosis and recommendations for treatment to the patient's primary doctor.

This article on sleep apnoea and its treatment is written by pulmonary specialist Heikki Lehti, MD, Ph.D.

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