What does apnea indicate?

Apnea specifically refers to the lack or absence of breathing, which can occur for a variety of reasons, including during sleep (as seen in sleep apnea) or due to certain medical conditions. In medical terminology, an episode of apnea may last for a few seconds to several minutes and can lead to significant consequences if it affects gas exchange and oxygenation in the body.

While apnea can be a symptom associated with sleep disorders, that description is more specific to a context rather than defining what apnea itself indicates. Temporary increases in breathing rates or forms of breathing difficulty do not accurately describe apnea, as they refer to different respiratory patterns or problems. Thus, identifying apnea as an absence of breathing captures its essence accurately, distinguishing it from other respiratory phenomena.