Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1982 Apr;45(4):353-9.
doi: 10.1136/jnnp.45.4.353.

Alcohol, snoring and sleep apnea

F G Issa, C E Sullivan

Alcohol, snoring and sleep apnea

F G Issa et al. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1982 Apr.

Abstract

We studied the effect of alcohol ingestion on sleep-induced breathing abnormalities and arterial oxyhaemoglobin saturation in seven patients with a range of sleep-induced upper airway occlusion. The characteristics of each patient's sleep-induced breathing abnormality was established on one or more control all-night studies, and then a further all-night study was done immediately following alcohol ingestion. Alcohol increased the duration and frequency of the occlusive episodes in five patients with obstructive sleep apnoea, and resulted in a marked increase in the degree of hypoxaemia in the first hour of sleep. In two patients with benign chronic snoring, alcohol induced frank obstructive sleep apnoea during the first hour of sleep. We suggest that the increased tendency to develop obstructive apnoea after alcohol is the result of alcohol-induced oropharyngeal muscle hypotonia, while the increased duration of obstructive apnea is the result of alcohol-induced depression of arousal mechanisms.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

  • International Consensus Statement on Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
    Chang JL, Goldberg AN, Alt JA, Mohammed A, Ashbrook L, Auckley D, Ayappa I, Bakhtiar H, Barrera JE, Bartley BL, Billings ME, Boon MS, Bosschieter P, Braverman I, Brodie K, Cabrera-Muffly C, Caesar R, Cahali MB, Cai Y, Cao M, Capasso R, Caples SM, Chahine LM, Chang CP, Chang KW, Chaudhary N, Cheong CSJ, Chowdhuri S, Cistulli PA, Claman D, Collen J, Coughlin KC, Creamer J, Davis EM, Dupuy-McCauley KL, Durr ML, Dutt M, Ali ME, Elkassabany NM, Epstein LJ, Fiala JA, Freedman N, Gill K, Gillespie MB, Golisch L, Gooneratne N, Gottlieb DJ, Green KK, Gulati A, Gurubhagavatula I, Hayward N, Hoff PT, Hoffmann OMG, Holfinger SJ, Hsia J, Huntley C, Huoh KC, Huyett P, Inala S, Ishman SL, Jella TK, Jobanputra AM, Johnson AP, Junna MR, Kado JT, Kaffenberger TM, Kapur VK, Kezirian EJ, Khan M, Kirsch DB, Kominsky A, Kryger M, Krystal AD, Kushida CA, Kuzniar TJ, Lam DJ, Lettieri CJ, Lim DC, Lin HC, Liu SYC, MacKay SG, Magalang UJ, Malhotra A, Mansukhani MP, Maurer JT, May AM, Mitchell RB, Mokhlesi B, Mullins AE, Nada EM, Naik S, Nokes B, Olson MD, Pack AI, Pang EB, Pang KP, Patil SP, Van de Perck E, Piccirillo JF, Pien GW, Piper AJ, Plawecki A, Quigg M, Ravesloot MJL, Redline S, Rotenberg BW, Ryden … See abstract for full author list ➔ Chang JL, et al. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2023 Jul;13(7):1061-1482. doi: 10.1002/alr.23079. Epub 2023 Mar 30. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2023. PMID: 36068685 Free PMC article. Review.
  • Higher prevalence of smoking in patients diagnosed as having obstructive sleep apnea.
    Kashyap R, Hock LM, Bowman TJ. Kashyap R, et al. Sleep Breath. 2001 Dec;5(4):167-72. doi: 10.1007/s11325-001-0167-5. Sleep Breath. 2001. PMID: 11868156
  • Effect of CPAP treatment on inspiratory arousal threshold during NREM sleep in OSAS.
    Haba-Rubio J, Sforza E, Weiss T, Schröder C, Krieger J. Haba-Rubio J, et al. Sleep Breath. 2005 Mar;9(1):12-9. doi: 10.1007/s11325-005-0002-5. Sleep Breath. 2005. PMID: 15785916 Clinical Trial.
  • Risk factors for glaucoma needing more attention.
    Coleman AL, Kodjebacheva G. Coleman AL, et al. Open Ophthalmol J. 2009 Sep 17;3:38-42. doi: 10.2174/1874364100903020038. Open Ophthalmol J. 2009. PMID: 19816585 Free PMC article.
  • Effects of exercise training associated with continuous positive airway pressure treatment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
    Ackel-D'Elia C, da Silva AC, Silva RS, Truksinas E, Sousa BS, Tufik S, de Mello MT, Bittencourt LR. Ackel-D'Elia C, et al. Sleep Breath. 2012 Sep;16(3):723-35. doi: 10.1007/s11325-011-0567-0. Epub 2011 Jul 30. Sleep Breath. 2012. PMID: 21805226 Clinical Trial.
See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Br Med J. 1967 Apr 29;2(5547):274-7 - PubMed
    1. Clin Sci Mol Med. 1975 Jul;49(1):33-8 - PubMed
    1. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 1975 Jul;39(1):59-64 - PubMed
    1. Clin Sci Mol Med. 1976 Apr;50(4):301-6 - PubMed
    1. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1976 Jun;113(6):745-9 - PubMed

Publication types