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Sleep apnea.(Causes and Treatment)(Disease/Disorder overview)
- Article from:
- Clinical Reference Systems
- Article date:
- January 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 McKesson Health Solutions LLC. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep problem. If you have it, you stop breathing for more than 10 seconds at a time many times while you sleep. Another term for this problem is obstructive sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea affects between 2 and 10% of people. It is more common in men than in women. It is also more common in people who are overweight, but there are many people with normal weight who have sleep apnea.
How does it occur?
During normal sleep, throat muscles relax. If, when this happens, there is too little room inside your throat, or too much tissue pressing on the outside of your throat, your airway can become ...