OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP-APNEA - TREATMENT IMPROVES QUALITY-OF-LIFE - AND MAY PREVENT DEATH

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome may be just an annoyance to an affect ed person's bed partner, or it can be a more serious and even dangerou s condition for the person involved One due to the condition is daytim e somnolence, although not all sleepy patients have the syndrome. If o bstructive sleep apnea syndrome is confirmed by a polysomnogram, a tri al of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) is warranted. If daytime somnolence is unaffected, then it is unlikely that the synd rome is the sole cause of the patient's sleepiness. Alternative diagno ses (eg, narcolepsy, atypical depression) should then be considered. S urgery, orthodontic devices, and pharmacotherapy are generally less ef fective than NCPAP and are usually reserved for patients who cannot to lerate NCPAP Surgical techniques may be best suited for patients who h ave dearly defined craniofacial abnormalities and those who cannot tol erate NCPAP. Weight reduction to near ideal body weight and avoidance of benzodiazepines, opiates, and alcohol should be emphasized in all p atients with suspected or confirmed sleep apnea.