So what is Sleep Apnea Termed as?

After reading one of these threads, I'm now wondering what is Sleep Apnea termed as medically and insurance wise?
Is it defined as a disease, disorder, etc.?

Starlette

I think it is a "disorder".

I've also wondered why it's called a sleep disorder rather than a respiratory disorder. The problem is you stop breathing, which is respiratory. That is what causes a person to not be able to sleep. Calling it a 'sleep disorder' fools people into believing it's just about not getting a good night of sleep and they don't realize how it is more about our breathing and all the physiological problems that occur during the apneas, such as desats, the heart working OT, etc.

I agree with you both 100%! Since I have severe complex sleep apnea (not that it matters what type we have) if we stop breathing then why is that not a disease? My sleep doctor told me that complex sleep apnea is when your brain fails to send a signal to your body to take a breath...to me that sounds like a disease and not a disorder. But what do I know? LOL... Do any of you know the true definition of complex sleep apnea and was my doctor correct when he said it is when your brain fails to send signals to your body to take a breath? I guess I am wondering if anyone else who has complex sleep apnea has been told it is something other then what I was told. Thanks.. TmjTerri

OSA: obstructive sleep apnea, is where your throat muscles close up and doesn't allow air in
CSA: Central sleep apnea, is where your brain fails to send the signal to breathe
Complex CSA (another CSA) is when you have OSA, and the CPAP machine pressures cause you to have centrals as well.

The two CSA's gets confusing.

All I know is I have got it. Doesnt worry me too much what to call it.

When I was in graduate school for clinical psychology, we were taught that a "disorder" reflects a process that is not going well in an otherwise healthy organ, whereas a "disease" reflects a degeneration in an organ from a previously healthy state. Either one can be a real problem, though, as we all know.

Sroringshrink:
I just saw your avatar.
I'm so glad I don't have any stitches; because they would be broken now.

Actually Complex Sleep Apnea can also be the "persistence" of central apneas or hypopneas when Cpap is used. I had centrals before using any machine and they persisted when I was tried on Cpap. Some people have centrals emerge when they didn't have them before, which is probably more common. Some people start out with them and can't get rid of them or they get worse on Cpap. It doesn't really matter except that I was really confused when they said I had CompSA since I had never been on Cpap. Someone else out there may be confused also and I hope this helps.

Obnoxious Stupid Agravation? Definitely.

Odious Snoring Abatement? Yes.

Outstanding Sleep Aid? Possibly -- I haven't been doing this long enough to be sure. . . .

I dunno but I think I'd rather have AIDS than this. Just sayin...

No, you wouldn't rather have AIDS... maybe do some research into what it's about and how you'd have to live if you had it.

Obstructive sleep apnea is often called sleep apnea syndrome and is one of 84+ known sleep disorders. Sleep apnea does have a diagnosis code and is considered a life=long diagnosis. Hope this helps!

Julie wrote:No, you wouldn't rather have AIDS... maybe do some research into what it's about and how you'd have to live if you had it.

I live in San Francisco and have a few friends with it. I'm pretty researched-up!

I also have severe CompSA. I had central apnea prior to therapy and still have centrals. I cannot use a standard Cpap machine but rather I have a BiLevel Vpap. But, yes, I would surely like to know how SA is termed. Syndrome? Disorder? Disease? No one has been able to clear that up for me either. Any sleep docs or techs out there that can clear this up?