Word parts
What it means
No breathing for a period of time. In newborns, a pause of 20 seconds or longer counts as apnea, as does a shorter pause with a slow heart rate or color change. In sleep apnea, breathing stops again and again during sleep, often with loud snoring. Apnea is different from dyspneaDISP-nee-uhDifficult or labored breathing, or the feeling of not getting enough air.dys- difficult-pnea breathingFull entry , which is difficult breathing.
For the nurse
Note how long each pause lasts and check the color, oxygen saturation and heart rate. Clients with sleep apnea may use a CPAP machine at night; bring it to the hospital and watch them closely after opioids and sedatives.
In a chart
"Periods of apnea lasting 10–15 seconds noted during sleep; SpO2 dips to 86%."
At a glance
| Spanish | apnea |
|---|---|
| Also written | apneic, apnoea |
Easy to confuse with
dyspnea
Difficult or labored breathing, or the feeling of not getting enough air.
Related terms
-pnea
A word ending that means breathing.
a-
A word beginning that means without, not or absence of; written an- before a vowel.
respiratory rate
The number of breaths a person takes in one minute.
respiration
Breathing air in and out, and the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air, the blood and the cells.