How much does drinking alcohol affect apnea?

[palerider]

As I recall, a significant factor is the proximity to bedtime that the alcohol is consumed. I regularly drink 2-3 glasses of wine a night, but try to do so immediately after work and go to bed 3+ hours later. I have heard that 3 hours is enough time to mitigate the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on sleep.

just remember.

1-2 means you're looking after your heart.

3+ means you're a wino.

[DeadlySleep]

I am dying for an alcopop

Blechhh. Are you over the age of 15?

[JDS74]

Perhaps reading this article might be informative.

http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/45/4/353.full.pdf

[Nozzelnut]

If it's not my turn to drive; I'll have a few drinks at the bar.

My pressures go up about 3cm/h20 and I have a quite a few more hypopneas, a few more obstructives, and maybe a couple centrals.

[photonic]

Perhaps reading this article might be informative.

http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/45/4/353.full.pdf

Holy Cow; this was impressive.

[ChicagoGranny]

Perhaps reading this article might be informative.

http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/45/4/353.full.pdf

The case of FM is both interesting and frightening.

[Denial Dave]

okay, so drinking alcohol increases apneas and reduces oxygen levels in untreated adults with sleep apneas.

What about in treated adults??
Did I miss that part of the research results?

The entire purpose of CPAP is to ensure that oxygen levels are properly maintained and reduce /elminate apneas.

[Ryands]

I've been on CPAP around 2 weeks now. I haven't changed my alcohol consumption as I want to test it to "true" conditions.

Most nights I average between 8 and 14 AHI, the nights I have had a drink (2-3 pints) my AHI has been around 8, better than otherwise.

[Julie]

The question of what happens in treated apnea is answered in the article link... the alcohol decreases your airway by loosening your muscles (hypotonia) and therefore you'd need a higher pressure to be effective, not something I imagine someone with even a couple of drinks in them in going to be fiddling with before bed.

[sc0ttt]

The question of what happens in treated apnea is answered in the article link... the alcohol decreases your airway by loosening your muscles (hypotonia) and therefore you'd need a higher pressure to be effective,

I see the part about alcohol relaxing the muscles and making apneas worse and more frequent, I don't see anything about requiring extra pressure and I don't see anything about PAP at all.

[Julie]

I'M saying extra pressure would be required to keep your airway open (as it apparently closes up more with alcohol) enough for Cpap to be effective. I am presuming Cpap because it's what we're all doing here, and if the question was only about apnea regardless of Cpap, well the answer's still the same - alcohol will provoke or create apnea through hypotonia of the airway.

[sc0ttt]

You might be right, I'm just saying the study doesn't say that. Could be that since the muscles are more relaxed it takes less pressure to open an airway; or it could be that without PAP the drunken muscles close off more frequently but with PAP drunken and sober muscles react the same.

[JDS74]

Going back to the original magazine abstract, the following quote was included:

You should also keep in mind that it is important to set up your continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) under typical sleeping conditions. Therefore, if you drink alcohol daily but abstain prior to your titration study, the pressure may not be adequate to maintain your airway when you drink. If you wish to maximize your therapy, consider the role that alcohol use plays in treating your sleep apnea.

That implies that the use of alcohol at or near bed time results in the requirement for additional CPAP pressure to maintain an open airway. Obstructive apneas result, sometimes, from the loss of muscle tone in the airway muscles. Partial arousal causes the muscles to regain tone and open the airway. If the effect of alcohol is to reduce the muscle tone even more, the airway may require this additional pressure to compensate.

Just some thoughts. The OP was inquiring about the effect of alcohol on apnea and I thought this article was on point.

[DeadlySleep]

Going back to the original magazine abstract, the following quote was included:

You should also keep in mind that it is important to set up your continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) under typical sleeping conditions. Therefore, if you drink alcohol daily but abstain prior to your titration study, the pressure may not be adequate to maintain your airway when you drink. If you wish to maximize your therapy, consider the role that alcohol use plays in treating your sleep apnea.

We should all go drunk to our sleep and titration studies.

[palerider]

The question of what happens in treated apnea is answered in the article link... the alcohol decreases your airway by loosening your muscles (hypotonia) and therefore you'd need a higher pressure to be effective, not something I imagine someone with even a couple of drinks in them in going to be fiddling with before bed.

another plus for apaps