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Sleep apnea: >Causes, incidence, and risk factors During sleep, relaxation of the muscles at the base of the throat cause obstruction of the airway, with extremely loud snoring and labored breathing. When complete blockage of the airway occurs, breathing stops. The obstruction to breathing prevents a person from reaching deeper stages of sleep, causing the symptoms of daytime drowsiness. Contributing factors may include use of alcohol or sedatives before sleep, anatomically narrowed airways, and massively enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Hypertension or pulmonary hypertension with enlarged right ventricle may be present. The classical presentation of obstructive sleep apnea is the appearance of snoring shortly after going to sleep. The snoring proceeds at a regular pace for a period of time, often becoming louder, but is then interrupted by a long silent period during which no breathing is taking place (apnea). The apnea is then interrupted by a loud snort and gasp and the snoring returns to its regular pace. This behavior may recur repetitively and frequently throughout the night. During the apneic periods the oxygen level in the blood falls dramatically. Persistent low levels of oxygen (hypoxia) causes the daytime symptoms. If the condition is severe enough, pulmonary hypertension develops and the patient may develop right sided heart failure (corpulmonale) or myocarditis. >> My dad has this condition. He found out from a neighbour who was probably within a year of dying from a heart attack at night (the same as his dad and his grandad and great-grandad - all died in their early 40's. Both my dad and this neighbour are getting towards their 60's now). Both of them use an air supply machine, with either a mask or nose plugs to supply air at a slightly higher pressure. Some doctors may recommend surgery to shorten the throat muscles - but they will lengthen with time and it will have to be done again (not an ideal situation). If surgery is done, then the machine cannot be used. The neighbour's snoring had caused his wife to sleep in another room for 2 years - and was thinking about leaving him, but this machine saved them! His concentration improved, his behaviour (!) improved and he felt much healthier (and was nicer to his wife! So his wife was nicer back!!). Neither had any problems getting a machine - tests were done overnight (to check breathing/snoring patterns), then sent away with their machine, and then 4 check-ups in the first year, then one annual check-up since then (also to service the machine). Both wear a necklace, as it's essential that in case of an accident, the anaesthetist knows about it. Hope this helps Chloe Aldam UK CG for Chris who's Mum is PD+ (mid60's, dx 5 PD, dx 2 PD+)