| While eupnoea is normal breathing, hypopnea is an | | | | The most common hypopnea symptoms are: loss of |
| abnormal type of breathing when the airflow is | | | | energy, forgetfulness, excessive sleepiness, snoring, |
| labored because of some pathology of the | | | | lack of concentration, depression, rapid changes in |
| respiratory system. In other words it’s | | | | mood and behavior, morning headaches, nervousness. |
| underbreathing. Hypopnea comes from the Greek | | | | There is the so called hypopnea index that can be |
| roots hypo- (meaning low, under, beneath, down, | | | | calculated by dividing the number of hypopneas by |
| below normal) and pnoe (meaning breathing). Among | | | | the number of hours of sleep. But as far as |
| other abnormal breathing patterns are: bradypnea | | | | hypopnea is closely related to apnea most often we |
| – rare and slow breath, dyspnea - intense | | | | speak of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). AHI is an |
| breath with a shortness, sometimes with cyanosis, | | | | index of severity that combines apneas and |
| hyperpnea – the increased amplitude of | | | | hypopneas. It is calculated by dividing the number of |
| breathing at the normal rate, tachypnea – | | | | apneas and hypopneas by the number of hours of |
| quickened and fast breathing, oligopnea – | | | | sleep correspondingly. When AHI is positive we |
| weakening of respiratory movements accompanied | | | | usually speak of sleep-disordered breathing or SDB. |
| with reduction of breath. Hypopnea is often confused | | | | Although hypopnea itself is not a mortal disease, if it |
| with apnea. But while hypopnea is a reduced | | | | is not treated properly it may shorten a |
| amplitude of breathing at the normal rate, apnea is a | | | | person’s life considerably by aggravating |
| total cessation of breathing. | | | | other diseases. CPAP, or continuous positive airway |
| Hypopnea can occur during sleep. In this case it may | | | | pressure, is considered to be the most effective |
| turn into a serious sleeping disorder. Sleep hypopnea | | | | treatment of hypopnea. It is usually used in case of |
| can be characterized by person's repetitive stops of | | | | heavy hypopnea. A patient puts up a mask over his |
| breathing or low breathing for short periods of time | | | | nose or mouth while an air blower forces air through |
| during sleep. Speaking in anatomical terms, there is | | | | the upper airway. The air pressure is adjusted in a |
| intermittent collapse of the upper airway and | | | | way to avoid the upper airway tissues from |
| reductions in blood oxygen levels during sleep. Thus, a | | | | collapsing during sleep. Mild hypopnea is treated more |
| sleeping person becomes incapable to breathe | | | | conservatively. In the majority of cases hypopnea |
| normally and awakens with each collapse. Quantity | | | | treatment presupposes refusing from alcohol and |
| and quality of sleep is lowered, what results in sleep | | | | smoking before sleep, strengthening gullet muscles by |
| deprivation and excessive daytime sleepiness. The | | | | doing certain excercises, avoiding sleeping on the |
| most usual physiological consequences of hypopnea | | | | back. Also there is a straight relation between weight |
| are cognitive disfunction, coronary artery disease, | | | | loss and improvement of breathing while sleeping. It is |
| myocardial infarction, hypertension, memory loss, | | | | established that abnormal breathing patterns during |
| heart attack, stroke, impotence, psychiatric problems. | | | | sleep such as sleep apnea and hypopnea, obesity |
| People suffering from sleep hypopnea increase | | | | hyperventilation syndrome, etc. usually improve when |
| considerably the overall number of traffic accidents. | | | | eating disorders causing overweight and obesity are |
| Their productivity is diminished and they have | | | | properly treated. |
| constant emotional problems and strains. | | | | |