What does central sleep apnea with percent of central apneas/hypopneas greater than or equal to 50 percent
2 Likes
Hi @DaKeebler,
Great question,it can definitely be confusing when interpreting sleep study results.
When your report says “percent of central apneas/hypopneas ≥ 50%,” it means that more than half of your breathing disruptions during sleep were central in nature, rather than obstructive.
- Central sleep apnea (CSA) happens when your brain doesn’t send the proper signals to your breathing muscles.
- This is different from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), where something physically blocks your airway.
Having ≥50% central events usually meets the criteria for Central Sleep Apnea Syndrome (CSAS), and this can be linked to issues like:
- Heart failure
- Certain medications (like opioids)
- High-altitude exposure
- Or even complex sleep apnea (if you’ve been on CPAP)
I strongly recommend discussing this result with your sleep specialist or doctor, because treatment options may differ from those used for obstructive apnea — such as adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) or other therapies.
Let us know if you have more numbers or details from your sleep study happy to help break it down further.
Wishing you good sleep and better health ahead
Hi @DaKeebler Great question — when someone is diagnosed with central sleep apnea (CSA) and it’s noted that 50% or more of their apneas/hypopneas are “central,” it means that at least half of the breathing pauses during sleep are caused by the brain not sending the proper signals to the muscles that control breathing — rather than an airway blockage (which would be obstructive sleep apnea).
This is important because central sleep apnea is treated differently than obstructive sleep apnea, so identifying the type helps guide the right therapy.
Hope that helps clarify things a bit! 