AASM Sleep Technologist Practice Test

Central sleep apnea results from a disruption in the brain’s ability to send the proper signals to breathe. It’s driven by problems with the central respiratory control centers or their regulation, not by the anatomy of the airway. That’s why congestive heart failure can contribute—Cheyne-Stokes-type patterns reflect instability in central drive and circulation. Brain stem injury can directly damage the medullary centers that control breathing, and neurological diseases affecting central respiratory control can also cause central apneas. Obesity, on the other hand, is a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea, where the airway collapses during sleep due to excess soft tissue and reduced airway caliber. It’s also linked to obesity hypoventilation syndrome, which is about inadequate ventilation rather than failure of central drive. Therefore obesity is not a typical cause of central sleep apnea.