What does CSA mean in NURSING

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a condition where a person's normal breathing pattern is interrupted because the brain does not send signals to the muscles that control breathing. It can cause pauses in breathing during sleep, which can disrupt a person's sleep quality and lead to daytime fatigue, headaches, and other symptoms.

Common symptoms of central sleep apnea can include snoring, gasping or choking while sleeping, frequent awakenings, daytime fatigue, morning headaches, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and insomnia. As the condition worsens, it can be accompanied by high blood pressure or heart problems.

There are several risk factors for developing CSA including being male over 40; having a family history of the condition; being overweight; or having structural changes in your airways or lungs due to chronic respiratory disorders such as COPD or asthma. Additionally medications such as opioids can also increase your risk for this disorder.

If your doctor suspects CSA they may order tests to be done overnight in a lab called polysomnography that records your brainwaves throughout the night as well as other body functions such as muscle movements and heart rate. Your doctor may also do an at-home test using an oximeter device on your finger which measures oxygen levels in your blood while you are asleep.

The primary treatment approach for CSA involves using CPAP machines (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) to help keep airways open while sleeping by providing you with pressurized air through a mask worn over your nose and mouth so you don't suffer from any pauses in breathing throughout the night. Other treatments include lifestyle changes such as losing weight or quitting smoking as well as medications like stimulants that help prevent pauses in breathing by increasing arousal from deep sleep states when CSA tends to occur most often.