Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea and is caused by an obstruction in your airway. These blockages can occur when the muscles of your throat relax too much or when tissues in the back of your throat collapse. People with obstructive sleep apnea may stop breathing repeatedly during the night and snore loudly while sleeping. These episodes of breathing temporarily lower oxygen levels in the body and cause daytime drowsiness, restless sleep, and a feeling of choking or gasping during wakefulness.
Central Sleep Apnea
Central sleep apnea (CSA) is an uncommon sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. It can occur in both adults as well as children. Everyone breathes during sleep, but CSA happens when the part of your brain that controls breathing isn’t sending the right signals to your breathing muscles. These pauses in breathing cause oxygen levels in your body to decrease. When central sleep apnea happens too often, or for too long, the drops in blood oxygen level can damage your brain cells. This can be serious or even life-threatening. CSA also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Sudden, repeated episodes of low blood oxygen can worsen heart problems, especially if you have underlying heart disease or high cholesterol. Symptoms of central sleep apnea include snoring and abnormal breathing patterns during sleep. Typically, these symptoms go unnoticed or are only noticed by your partner or caregiver.
Complex Sleep Apnea
Complex sleep apnea is a more severe form of central sleep apnea (CSA) in which patients experience repeated apnea events even when using positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP or an oral appliance). These apnea events can often be caused by underlying medical conditions and medications. There are treatment options that can help people feel better and improve their quality of life. It usually involves addressing the underlying causes of the abnormal breathing while offering treatments to support normal breathing. These include positive airway pressure, supplemental oxygen, medications, and nerve stimulation.
Are you experiencing frequent lightheadedness or fainting spells? Unsure what might be causing these issues? Then your cardiologist may recommend a tilt table test, sometimes known as a passive head-up tilt test (HUTT). This procedure is used to record both your blood pressure and heart rate each minute, while the patient is tilted on a table at varying levels.
A HUTT can be a great way to determine what is causing your symptoms. The results of the test help us evaluate your blood pressure and heart rhythm. It will also help us determine the best treatment plan for your symptoms, and can even help us decide whether you will require additional testing to help diagnose your condition.
What Happens During a HUTT Test?
The test usually takes about an hour and a half to complete, but your test may be shorter depending on your symptoms and the changes we see in your vitals. It’s not a bad idea to plan to be in our office for a couple of hours. While you can continue to take your prescription medication before the test, you should not eat or drink anything except a little water for about four hours before the test.
Before the test begins, we will usually place an IV into the arm to take blood samples to measure adrenaline. Whether blood samples need to be taken will depend on your medical history. We will also place a blood pressure cuff on both arms and small electrodes on your chest to measure the electrical activity of the heart.
During the test, you will lie on your back on a motorized table and your blood pressure and heart rhythm will be taken at baseline. You will rest for about 15 minutes and then we will begin the test. As mentioned earlier, both your heart rate and blood pressure will be measured and monitored throughout the entire test.
Next, the table will be tilted at different angles, always in a position in which you are upright (you will never be upside-down). We will also check in with you throughout to see how you are feeling and if you are experiencing any symptoms. The goal of the test is to not cause you to faint, though this may happen depending on how you respond to the test. We will continue to monitor your vital signs for about 10 minutes after the test, and you will stay in our lab until any symptoms have resolved.
Experiencing bouts of dizziness or fainting? Questions about HUTT? Call our office today.
We’ve all heard the dreaded names heart attack and heart failure. So what sets these two frightening conditions apart?
Heart Attack
A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, occurs when a blood clot develops at the site of plaque in a coronary artery, suddenly cutting off most or all blood supply to that part of the heart muscle. If the blood supply is not restored quickly, the heart muscle will begin to die due to a lack of oxygen. This can cause permanent damage to the heart, and, in the worst cases, death.
Heart attacks should not be confused with heart failure. Heart failure is typically a chronic, long-standing condition, while heart attacks generally come on suddenly.
Know the Symptoms
Symptoms of a heart attack can vary from person to person. If you think you may be having a heart attack, seek medical help and call 911 immediately.
The National Heart Attack Alert Program notes these major symptoms of a heart attack:
Tightness and discomfort in the chest area. Most heart attacks cause pain in the center of the chest, lasting for more than a few minutes. Discomfort may subside for a minutes and then return.
The sensation is an uncomfortable pressure, a feeling of swelling, fullness, or a painful squeezing.
Pain or discomfort in other areas of the body, including one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Shortness of breath. This symptom may occur before any feeling of discomfort arises in the chest, but most often accompanies it.
Sweating and nausea. Breaking out in a cold sweat and feeling nauseated or lightheaded are also common symptoms of a heart attack.
To improve your heart health and prevent a heart attack, maintain a healthy weight, exercise, quit smoking, eat a healthy diet, manage blood pressure and cholesterol, and visit your doctor or cardiac specialist for regular medical checkups.
Heart Failure
Heart failure (congestive heart failure) occurs when the heart fails to pump enough blood to maintain the needs of the body. A highly common condition, it affects an estimated 5 million people in the United States each year.
The best way to prevent heart failure is to manage risk factors that lead to it, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, obesity, and diabetes. Lifestyle changes, medication, and surgery can all relieve and improve symptoms.
Heart failure is a serious condition, but when the symptoms are managed with proper treatment, patients with heart failure can lead a normal, active life.
Getting Help
While heart failure can be less dramatic than a heart attack, it can also be just as lethal. If you suspect you or a loved one may be suffering from either heart failure or a heart attack, seek medical care immediately.
What is it called when your heart stops while sleeping? This condition is known as sleep apnea. There are multiple types of sleep apnea, with the most common being obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. Becoming educated on the various types of sleep apnea can help you determine which type you have, the causes, the symptoms, and the best treatment options.
Connection Between Sleep Apnea & Heart Disease
Various studies have found that obesity can play a role in the development of heart disease and sleep apnea. But, having sleep apnea whether a person is obese or not, will still increase their chances of developing heart disease.
Sleep apnea has damaging effects on the cardiovascular system. This is due to the constant pauses in a person’s breathing that can put stress on the heart. For example, every time a person pauses while breathing, the level of oxygen in their blood also drops. This can activate the sympathetic nervous system.
Furthermore, when a person with OSA or obstructive sleep apnea tries to breathe, they begin to breathe in via closed or narrowed upper airways. This can put significant pressure on the chest cavity, which can then damage the heart. Constant changes in intrathoracic pressure can cause damage to the heart and result in atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and even issues with the way blood flows to the heart.
Finally, repetitive changes in a person’s oxygen levels can put a lot of stress on the body. This is known as oxidative stress and can eventually lead to heart disease because it can encourage systemic inflammation.
Types of Sleep Apnea
What are the warning signs of sleep apnea? If you snore loud enough that it causes a disturbance to the person sleeping next to you, or you wake up gasping for air, you could have sleep apnea. Another warning sign is pausing in your breathing while you are sleeping. Let us read about some of the various types of sleep apnea.
OSA- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
OSA is the most familiar type of sleep apnea and happens when there is a blockage within the throat and mouth. For instance, the tongue may rest against the soft palate while a person is sleeping. The soft palate and uvula can rest against a person’s throat, making it harder to breathe.
Central Sleep Apnea
Central sleep apnea also makes it difficult for a person to breathe, but it isn’t caused by a blockage within the upper airways. The cause of central sleep apnea is neurological. People with central sleep apnea do not snore. Instead, you may notice symptoms such as insomnia, trouble concentrating, and waking up feeling panicky or with shortness of breath.
Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome
A person can have more than one type of sleep apnea. Complex sleep apnea syndrome is a combination of central and OSA sleep apnea. Sometimes, complex sleep apnea is evident following a sleep study. But, it is also possible that sleep apnea may not improve even after the use of a CPAP machine.
Cardiomyopathy is a broad term that refers to a disease of the heart muscle. The heart muscle becomes enlarged, thick, or abnormally rigid, and as cardiomyopathy progresses, the heart becomes weaker. Cardiomyopathy can lead to heart rhythm problems, heart failure, and sudden cardiac arrest.
Symptoms of cardiomyopathy generally get worse as the disease progresses. In some cases, patients may not experience any symptoms in the early stages.
Common symptoms include:
Shortness of breath
Swelling in the ankles, feet and legs
Fatigue
Irregular heartbeat
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Concerned that you might have cardiomyopathy? Contact us immediately. Treatment can help halt the progression of the disease.
