SleepQuest - Sleep Disorders - Sleep Glossary A to Z

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Cardiac Arrest - Sudden cessation of heart beat.

Cardiovascular - Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels.

Central Nervous System (CNS) - The brain and spinal cord.

Central Sleep Apnea - A period of at least 10 seconds without airflow, during which no respiratory effort is evident.

Chronotherapy - Treatment of a circadian rhythm sleep disorder by systemically changing sleeping and waking times to reset the patient's biological clock.

Circadian - Any periodicity that is near but not necessarily exactly 24 hours.

Circadian Rhythms - See Biological Rhythms

Claustrophobia - Fear of being confined in any enclosed space, as in a locked room.

Compliance - Adhering to a regimen of treatment, such as CPAP therapy.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Machine - Medical device used to treat sleep apnea. This apparatus provides a highly effective, non-invasive therapy that eliminates blockages and prevents collapse of the upper airway by generating a prescribed level of air pressure that maintains airway patency during sleep. Air pressure is delivered through a hose to a mask that fits over the nose, or both nose and mouth. The mask is secured on the face by headgear that is worn over the head. The appropriate air pressure level is determined during a "CPAP titration" sleep study. The complete system consists of a programmable pressure generator, tubing, mask and headgear. Sometimes referred to as nCPAP (nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure).

Confusional Arousals - Also called sleep drunkenness or excessive sleep inertia, this disorder is an extreme example of the slowness most people feel upon awakening. People with confusional arousals respond poorly to commands or questions, and have major memory impairment of things that happened a short time before.

CPAP Pressure - Amount of pressure needed to maintain an open airway in a sleep apnea patient being treated with CPAP, expressed in centimeters of water (cm H20). The positive pressure may range from 5 to 20 cm H20. Different patients will require different pressures. This value is determined in a CPAP titration study.