This improves blood flow to the heart. muscle and relieves symptoms (usually chest pain). Stents are used depending on certain features of the. artery blockage. Factors that affect whether a stent can. be used include the size of the artery and where the. blockage is.
Usually, this gasping or agonal breathing stops within about four minutes, which is why many experts have not recognized this phenomenon so far! Gasping is a survival reflex triggered by the brain and can increase the chances of survival for someone in cardiac arrest.
A less common form of sleep apnea is central sleep apnea, in which the brain fails to signal the muscles that control breathing. Breathing then stops and oxygen levels drop correspondingly. Awakening in central sleep apnea is usually abrupt and may be accompanied by shortness of breath.