[Methadone and sleep apnea syndrome]

Sleep apnea syndrome occurs when, during sleep, breathing stops for 10 seconds or longer, with an index of 5 times or more an hour. It is clinically characterized by loud snoring at night, continuous or interrupted by pauses followed by loud breathing. Sleep is fitful, broken by arousals, and yields little rest. There is daytime excessive sleepiness with repeated involuntary falling asleep, often unknown by the subject.

In this article, we describe an observation of central sleep apnea syndrome in a female patient receiving an opiate replacement therapy.

An analysis of the before and after methadone withdrawal polysomnograhic tracing was done for this patient.

This diagnosis etiology and physiopathology are critically approached. Clinicians should be careful in treating induced sleep disorders in such patients.

Prescribing benzodiazepines during an opiate withdrawal of the methadone type is not recommended when central apnea occurs.