Cessation of breathing, either temporarily or for a prolonged period.
Breathing is an automatic process controlled by the respiratory centre in the brainstem. Failure of this centre to maintain normal breathing is known as central apnoea. It may occur in babies, particularly those who are premature, and can be detected by an apnoea alarm. Central apnoea can also result from brainstem damage, for example following a stroke or head injury.
In obstructive apnoea, breathing is prevented by a blockage in the airway. The most common type is sleep apnoea, in which blockage of the upper airway occurs repeatedly during sleep.
Deliberate temporary apnoea occurs in breath-holding attacks. Another type of apnoea occurs in Cheyne–Stokes respiration, in which cycles of deep, rapid breathing alternate with episodes of breathing stoppage.
Treatment of apnoea depends on the cause. In newborn babies, it resolves as they mature. In stroke or head injury, artificial ventilation may be needed temporarily until recovery occurs.
A general term meaning the cessation of breathing. Apnoea is a medical emergency: death soon follows if breathing is not quickly restored (see APPENDIX 1: BASIC FIRST AID). Apnoea may be caused by an obstruction to the airway, for example by the tongue during general ANAESTHESIA, or by a disturbance of the mechanisms that control breathing. Rapid heavy breathing reduces the blood levels of carbon dioxide and can lead to a brief period of apnoea.
Neonatal apnoeic attacks may represent a serious emergency, being caused by prematurity, milk aspiration, heart failure, infection, HYPOXIA, HYPOGLYCAEMIA or HYPOCALCAEMIA. If stimulation of the baby does not immediately restore breathing, then bag-and-mask ventilation should be used.
n. temporary cessation of breathing from any cause, formally defined as a reduction in nasal airflow to less than 30% of normal for more than 10 seconds. The presence of more than five episodes of apnoea per hour of sleep is indicative of *obstructive sleep apnoea. Attacks of apnoea are common in newborn babies and should be taken seriously although they do not necessarily indicate serious illness. See also sleep apnoea. —apnoeic adj.
(OSA, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, OSAS) a serious condition in which airflow from the nose and mouth to the lungs is restricted during sleep, also called sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS). It is defined by the presence of more than five episodes of *apnoea per hour of sleep associated with significant daytime sleepiness. Snoring is a feature of the condition but it is not universal. There are significant medical complications of prolonged OSA, including heart failure and high blood pressure. Patients perform poorly on driving simulators, and driving licence authorities may impose limitations on possession of a driving licence. There are associated conditions in adults, the *hypopnoea syndrome and the upper airways resistance syndrome, with less apnoea but with daytime somnolence and prominent snoring. In children the cause is usually enlargement of the tonsils and adenoids and treatment is by removing these structures. In adults the tonsils may be implicated but there are often other abnormalities of the pharynx, and patients are often obese. Treatment may include weight reduction or nasal *continuous positive airways pressure (nCPAP) devices, *mandibular advancement splints, or noninvasive ventilation. Alternatively *tonsillectomy, *uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, *laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty, or *tracheostomy may be required.... obstructive sleep apnoea
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