Sleep histories are seldom documented on a general medical service

Background. Sleep disorders are common, but the frequency of sleep history documentation in hospitalized patients is unknown. Methods. We reviewed 442 initial histories and physical examinations record ed by 122 house officers and 47 medical students in 208 consecutive general medicine ward patients. Results. Any reference to sleep was recorded in only 18 patients (9%), incl uding 12 of 141 (9%) with conditions associated with obstructive sleep apne a. Sleep histories were recorded more often in women (13% vs 4%) and less o ften than histories of cigarette smoking or alcohol use. Medical students r ecorded such histories more often than did house officers. Patients with sl eep histories more often had pulse oximetry (78% vs 37%), pulmonary functio n testing (11% vs 1%), arterial blood gas analysis (67% vs 30%), or electro cardiograms (78% vs 49%). Conclusions. Sleep histories are documented infrequently in hospitalized pa tients. Patients with a recorded sleep history more often have tests that s uggest increased concerns about cardiorespiratory risk and/or a different p rocess of care.