12-07-2017, 03:14 AM
OSA Glossary of terms
Due to needing to educate a family member (Who insists that CPAP/APAP is a last resort after all other options are exhausted!), I've put together a glossary of terms. Maybe some newbies may find this useful.
Sleep Apnea Glossary of Terms
AHI – Average Hypopnea Index - an index used to indicate the severity of sleep apnea, 0-5 is normal, 5-10 is mild, 10-20 is moderate, above 30 is severe. This is a measure of the average number of Apneas or hypopeas recorded per hour of sleep. This can also be called average events per hour. An AHI of 15, would therefore mean that a person stops breathing for more than 10 seconds on average 15 times per hour in their sleep.
Apnea (Sometimes Aponea) - A cessation of breathing A cessation of breathing. When apnea occurs during sleep due to an obstruction of the airways despite efforts to breathe—akin to an extreme form of snoring—it is called “obstructive sleep apnea.” If apnea occurs because there is no attempt to breath during sleep, this is called “central sleep apnea.”
CPAP or APAP – Continuous/Automatic Positive Airway Pressure – Specialised air pump which forces air down the UA by way of a mask or nasal apparatus so as to prevent apnea events.
CA/CSA – Central (Sleep) Apnea – In this case, the airway is actually open, but the brain doesn’t send a signal to the body to breathe. (Most people can also have mixed apneas, or a mixture of OSA and CSA related events throughout the night.)
EPR – Expiratory Pressure Relief – Comfort feature which reduces pressure on a CPAP/APAP machine on exhalation
Hypopnea – Shallow or abnormally low respiratory rate
Hypoventillation – A state in which a reduced amount of air enters the lungs
OSA – Obstructive Sleep Apnea – when the airway closes due to soft tissue falling with gravity for a period greater than 10 seconds causing lack of oxygen to the lungs and difficulty breathing.
OA (oral appliances) or MAD (Mandibular Advancement Device) – A “Mouthguard” like device made by a dentist or prosthadontist which pulls the jaw forward and forces the soft tissue of the UA open.
RERA - Respiratory Effort Related Arousal – Although symptoms can be similar between RERA and OSA, there are quite a number of differences. With RERA, these events are usually one to three breaths in length and can last 10 seconds or longer. In OSA, stoppage of breathing can occur anywhere from 5 times to over 30 an hour and can last as long as a minute.
UA – Upper Airway – Components of the biology of the airway which include the nose, mouth, tongue, trachea, larynx and pharynx
UARS – Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome – Narrowing of airway which can cause disruptions in sleep (RERA)
Sleep Apnea Glossary of Terms
AHI – Average Hypopnea Index - an index used to indicate the severity of sleep apnea, 0-5 is normal, 5-10 is mild, 10-20 is moderate, above 30 is severe. This is a measure of the average number of Apneas or hypopeas recorded per hour of sleep. This can also be called average events per hour. An AHI of 15, would therefore mean that a person stops breathing for more than 10 seconds on average 15 times per hour in their sleep.
Apnea (Sometimes Aponea) - A cessation of breathing A cessation of breathing. When apnea occurs during sleep due to an obstruction of the airways despite efforts to breathe—akin to an extreme form of snoring—it is called “obstructive sleep apnea.” If apnea occurs because there is no attempt to breath during sleep, this is called “central sleep apnea.”
CPAP or APAP – Continuous/Automatic Positive Airway Pressure – Specialised air pump which forces air down the UA by way of a mask or nasal apparatus so as to prevent apnea events.
CA/CSA – Central (Sleep) Apnea – In this case, the airway is actually open, but the brain doesn’t send a signal to the body to breathe. (Most people can also have mixed apneas, or a mixture of OSA and CSA related events throughout the night.)
EPR – Expiratory Pressure Relief – Comfort feature which reduces pressure on a CPAP/APAP machine on exhalation
Hypopnea – Shallow or abnormally low respiratory rate
Hypoventillation – A state in which a reduced amount of air enters the lungs
OSA – Obstructive Sleep Apnea – when the airway closes due to soft tissue falling with gravity for a period greater than 10 seconds causing lack of oxygen to the lungs and difficulty breathing.
OA (oral appliances) or MAD (Mandibular Advancement Device) – A “Mouthguard” like device made by a dentist or prosthadontist which pulls the jaw forward and forces the soft tissue of the UA open.
RERA - Respiratory Effort Related Arousal – Although symptoms can be similar between RERA and OSA, there are quite a number of differences. With RERA, these events are usually one to three breaths in length and can last 10 seconds or longer. In OSA, stoppage of breathing can occur anywhere from 5 times to over 30 an hour and can last as long as a minute.
UA – Upper Airway – Components of the biology of the airway which include the nose, mouth, tongue, trachea, larynx and pharynx
UARS – Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome – Narrowing of airway which can cause disruptions in sleep (RERA)
