Aging and sleep apnea: action of benzodiazepine, acetazolamide, alcohol, and sleep deprivation in a healthy elderly group.

Ten nonobese, healthy elderly adults (M = 73.3 years) were monitored polygraphically during sleep for sleep state changes, breathing, and the development of cardiac arrhythmias. All participated in 2 baseline nights and 1 night of flurazepam 30 mg ingestion; six underwent 1 night of sleep deprivation; four received ethyl alcohol (.6 mg/kg); and four whose apnea worsened significantly with flurazepam 30 mg were pretreated for 3 days with acetazolamide, taking acetazolamide and flurazepam 30 mg on the fourth night. Elderly adults with an Apnea Index (the number of apneas per sleep hour) between 5 and 7 at baseline experienced a worsening of their apnea with each manipulation. Acetazolamide did not protect individuals whose Apnea Index increased after flurazepam ingestion. One person developed premature ventricular contractions in conjunction with an increased Apnea Index after each manipulation.