ACUTE AND LONG-TERM VENTILATORY EFFECTS OF HYPEROXIA IN THE ADULT SLEEP-APNEA SYNDROME

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Abstract
Eight adult patients with sleep apnea were studied to evaluate the ventilatory and cardiac effects of hyperoxide on an acute basis. Five patients then used low-flow night-time O2 for 30-90 days. The results of the acute study showed that for 30-min study periods, the total number of apneas and percent apnea time (duration of apneas divided by sleep time) decreased significantly from the room air to the O2 period (207 to 68, P < 0.05; 41.1 .+-. 18.3% SD to 20.5 .+-. 14.4%, P < 0.05, respectively). The apnea-associated slowing in heart rate is blocked by the supplemental O2. Three patients also responded to the acute administration of hyperoxia by a decrease in apnea time > 60%. One patient prolonged the apnea time and one 1 had a minimal positive response, both again reflecting their acute studies. Apparently, the severe hypoxemia that develops during an apnea in this syndrome has a central ventilatory effect that propagates the apneas and is significantly reversed by hyperoxia.