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sleep apnea
noun
: apnea that recurs during sleep and is caused especially by obstruction of the airway or a disturbance in the brain's respiratory center
Examples of sleep apnea in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office said Fisher’s death was caused by sleep apnea and other undetermined factors.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 28 May 2024
Losing weight can directly lower the risk of sleep apnea, and results from a late-stage study from Lilly showed that tirzepatide led to 30 fewer such events, or a reduction of 63%, each hour for people with obesity and the sleeping disorder.
—Alice Park, TIME, 21 May 2024
According to the Cleveland Clinic, sleep apnea is a disorder that causes a person to stop breathing while asleep.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 21 May 2024
There are ongoing clinical trials studying the use of GLP-1 drugs for a range of conditions beyond obesity, including kidney disease and sleep apnea.
—Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for sleep apnea
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sleep apnea.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1975, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near sleep apnea
Cite this Entry
“Sleep apnea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleep%20apnea. Accessed 16 Jun. 2024.
Medical Definition
sleep apnea
noun
: brief periods of recurrent cessation of breathing during sleep that is caused especially by obstruction of the airway or a disturbance in the brain's respiratory center and is associated especially with excessive daytime sleepiness
More from Merriam-Webster on sleep apnea
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sleep apnea
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