CENTRAL APNEA Meaning and
Definition
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Central apnea is a medical condition characterized by a temporary cessation or pause in breathing during sleep, where the failure to breathe is not due to any physical obstruction in the airway but rather a lack of respiratory effort by the individual. This type of apnea is considered to be of central origin, meaning that it is caused by a dysfunction or disruption in the central respiratory drive within the brain, specifically the areas responsible for regulating and controlling breathing.
During central apnea, the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the respiratory muscles, resulting in a brief interruption in the breathing process. This pause in breathing can last for several seconds to a few minutes, leading to a drop in blood oxygen levels and an increase in carbon dioxide levels in the body. As a consequence, the body may respond by briefly awakening or partially awakening from sleep in order to restore normal breathing patterns.
Central apnea can be primary or secondary in nature. Primary central sleep apnea occurs when the brain's respiratory centers fail to initiate the necessary breathing efforts, while secondary central apnea is usually associated with certain underlying medical conditions or medications that affect the central nervous system, such as heart failure, stroke, brain stem injury, or the use of opioid medications.
Diagnosis of central apnea typically involves a sleep study or polysomnography, where various physiological parameters are monitored during sleep. Treatment options may vary depending on the underlying cause and severity of the condition, ranging from addressing the primary medical issue to using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines or certain medications to stimulate breathing.
Common Misspellings for CENTRAL APNEA
- xentral apnea
- ventral apnea
- fentral apnea
- dentral apnea
- cwntral apnea
- csntral apnea
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- c3ntral apnea
- cebtral apnea
- cemtral apnea
- cejtral apnea
- cehtral apnea
- cenrral apnea
- cenfral apnea
- cengral apnea
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- cen6ral apnea
- cen5ral apnea
Etymology of CENTRAL APNEA
The word "central" in "Central Apnea" comes from the Latin word "centralis", which means "pertaining to a center". In this context, it refers to the central nervous system, which plays a significant role in regulating breathing. "Apnea" is derived from the Greek word "apnoia", which means "lack of breath" or "absence of breathing". Therefore, "Central Apnea" refers to a type of apnea characterized by a temporary pause or cessation of breathing due to the failure of the brain to send appropriate signals to the respiratory muscles.
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