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Friday, November 21, 2008

Central sleep apnea

Alternative Names

Sleep apnea - central


Symptoms

The primary symptom is when you temporarily stop breathing, especially during sleep. People with apnea of unknown cause may awaken frequently and complain of insomnia.

If a neurological condition is causing the apnea, it may also produce other symptoms. These include difficulty swallowing, change in voice, weakness, or numbness throughout the body, depending on the underlying disease and what parts of the nervous system it has affected.


Signs and tests
  • Lung and breathing studies
  • All-night polygraphic sleep monitoring
  • MRI
  • Tests to diagnose an underlying medical condition


Review Date: 11/13/2006
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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