成年睡眠窒息症

一個人常常睡醒, 日間又無精打彩, 很可能是患上睡眠窒息症，保守估計約百分之四的成年男士患有此病，女性發病率則約百分之二，而肥胖及年老退化會增加組織垂鬆阻塞呼吸道的機會，頸頜結構異常的人士亦較高機會患病，例如下顎較小和下巴向後的人，舌頭會被推向咽喉，故也較易出現睡眠窒息症。

在正常情況下，無論我們睡得多熟，身體仍然會維持呼吸，但患有睡眠窒息症的病人，上呼吸道被鬆垂的軟組織及脂肪壓迫，以致呼吸間歇停頓。當大腦感應到身體缺氧時，便會發出指令要身體醒來，咽喉肌肉亦隨即恢復張力並重開氣道，讓空氣再次進入，身體也可以再次入睡。這種睡睡醒醒的情況可能出現多達數百次，而每次窒息可由數秒至數分鐘不等，因此實際上並無充分休息，導致日間精神委靡及感到睏倦，直接影響到工作和學業表現，若在駕駛或操作機械時打瞌睡便更為危險。

睡眠窒息症不能以藥物作治療，但仍有不少方法可以改善病情，例如使用正氣壓睡眠機，便是治療睡眠窒息症的最有效方法。睡眠機把空氣加壓並透過喉管及面罩泵入鼻腔，藉以打開阻塞了的呼吸道，令空氣可如常進出肺部，病人就不再因缺氧而醒。此外，肥胖的病人減肥後情況多會好轉，而避免仰睡則可減少舌頭阻塞咽喉，亦有助紓緩病況。若患者對睡眠機產生抗拒，可考慮接受手術治療，例如喉嚨矯型手術，對初度至中度的睡眠窒息症尤其有效。

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects close to 12 million Americans and results in significant loss of work efficiency if not treated. It is different from primary snoring disorder in that the latter does not cause long term cardiopulmonary complications such as pulmonary hypertension. Sleep study is the diagnosis of choice and is performed with patient spending a night in a sleep lab. An apnea event is defined as cessation of breathing for 10 seconds. A score known as apnea hypopnea index (AHI) is obtained and used to classified sleep apnea into mild, moderate, and severe categories. CPAP machine is the first line of treatment for OSA, although non-compliance remains a major issue with the device due to the discomfort of sleeping with the mask. For patients unable to tolerate CPAP, surgery is an option offered by Ear, Nose and Throat specialists. Surgery is most effective for patients with favorable anatomy (large tonsils, small tongue), mild apnea (AHI < 15), and strong motivation to lose weight.

Source:
http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/news/20100507/00410_003.html