Sleep Apnea and Nursing Management Essay

Introduction

The article discusses obstructive sleep apnea, a chronic disorder characterized by the obstruction of the upper airways resulting in sleep disruption that could lead to fatigue during the day and the required management. This paper will seek to review the article and evaluate its application to professional nursing practice.Sleep Apnea and Nursing Management Essay

Pathophysiology

The cause of obstructive sleep apnea is multifactorial, but the recurrent collapse of the upper right airway is cited as the primary cause of the condition. The collapse of the upper right airway leads to hypopnea in some cases, while it may cause apnea regardless of the breathing efforts that an individual makes (Carlucci, Smith, & Corbridge, 2013). Some of the obstruction causes include anomalies in the airway, such as a reduction in the activity of the pharynx dilator muscles. Anatomically, the human airway relies on muscles to keep it open as it lacks any bony-structural support to ensure its patency. The issue is further accentuated by the fact that the airway has a collapsible portion extending from the hard palate to the vocal cords area, which mainly assists in the swallowing process (Drager, Togeiro, Polotsky, & Lorenzi-Filho, 2013). The portion is prone to collapsing during sleep and hence results in obstruction and apnea.Sleep Apnea and Nursing Management Essay

Individuals who experience chronic cases of obstructive sleep apnea tend to have anatomically smaller upper airways. Thus, the tubes are much more affected when the collapsible portion between the hard palate and vocal cords collapses during sleep. The inability of the respiratory regulatory centers to control the breathing patterns also contributes to the collapse of the airway.

Persons who experience obstruction of the airway are at a higher risk of developing acidosis and hypercapnia, which then stimulates the respiratory centers leading to heightened activity of the respiratory muscles. Thus, when these increased muscular activities occur, the individual experiences increased breathing efforts which result in sleep disruption to take a breath (Drager et al., 2013). Once the individual takes a breath, they go back to sleep, and the cycle repeats itself, resulting in fragmented sleep. In extreme cases of apnea, the cycle could repeat itself about 100 times per hour. Sleep disruption is accompanied by sympathetic events, which cause vasoconstriction and increased blood pressure, which could potentiate blood vessel damage and hypertension (Pedrosa et al., 2011).Sleep Apnea and Nursing Management Essay