Breathing - slowed or stopped

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Breathing that slows down or stops from any cause is called apnea. Apnea can come once in a while and be temporary. This tends to occur with obstructive sleep apnea. Prolonged apnea is means a person has stopped breathing. This is also called respiratory arrest.

Respiration slowed or stopped; Not breathing; Respiratory arrest; Apnea

Prolonged apnea (respiratory arrest) is a life-threatening disorder that requires immediate medical attention and first aid.

If a person with any type of apnea turns blue, has a seizure, becomes limp, remains drowsy, or is unconscious, immediately seek medical attention.

Apnea can occur for many different reasons. The most common causes of apnea in infants and small children are generally quite different from the most common causes in adults.

In infants and children, the most common cause of cardiac arrest (lack of an effective heartbeat) is respiratory arrest. In adults, the opposite usually occurs: Cardiac arrest leads to respiratory arrest.

Common causes of apnea in infants and young children include:

• Premature birth
• Bronchiolitis  
• Pneumonia
• Choking
• holding ones breath
• Seizures
• Meningitis
• Encephalitis
• Gastroesophageal reflux (heartburn)
• Asthma

Common causes of apnea in adults include:

• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Choking
• Drug overdose, especially drugs such as alcohol, narcotic pain killers, barbiturates, anesthetics, and other depressants (See also:  Drug abuse first aid)
• Cardiac arrest
• Asthma or other lung diseases

Other causes of apnea include:

• Near-drowning
• Head or brain-stem injury
• Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias)
• Metabolic disorders
• Nervous system disorders

Review Date: 03/21/2006
Reviewed By: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-RooseveltHospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed HealthcareNetwork.