Do You Ever Take a Sleep History?
Authors: Richard P. Millman
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1999)

Editorials5 October 1999Do You Ever Take a Sleep History?Richard P. Millman, MDRichard P. Millman, MDBrown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02903 (Millman)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-131-7-199910050-00010 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which the pharynx repeatedly collapses during sleep. The patient with obstructive sleep apnea struggles to breathe against a closed airway, resulting in hypoxemia and hypercapnia. Eventually the patient awakes from sleep, the pharyngeal muscles contract, the airway opens, and air rushes in under pressure, creating a loud snorting or gasping sound; in general, this process is subconscious. The patient then drifts into deeper sleep, and the cycle repeats itself. The combination of sleep fragmentation and arterial blood gas alterations can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, problems with memory, problems with attention and concentration, ...References1. Young T, Palta M, Dempsey J, Skatrud J, Weber S, Badr S. The occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing among middle-aged adults. N Engl J Med. 1993;328:1230-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Ancoli-Israel S, Coy T. Are breathing disturbances in elderly equivalent to sleep apnea syndrome? Sleep. 1994;17:77-83. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. National Center on Sleep Disorders Research. Sleep apnea: Is your patient at risk? National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication No. 95-3803; 1995 Google Scholar4. Netzer NC, Stoohs RA, Netzer CM, Clark K, Strohl KP. Using the Berlin Questionnaire to identify patients at risk for the sleep apnea syndrome. Ann Intern Med. 1999;131:485-91. LinkGoogle Scholar5. Meissner HH, Riemer A, Santiago SM, Stein M, Goldman MD, Williams AJ. Failure of physician documentation of sleep complaints in hospitalized patients. West J Med. 1998;169:146-9. MedlineGoogle Scholar6. Ball EM, Simon RD, Tall AA, Banks MB, Nino-Murcia G, Dement WC. Diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea within the community. The Walla Walla Project. Arch Intern Med. 1997;157:419-24. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Rosen R, Mahowald M, Chesson A, Doghramji K, Goldberg R, Moline M, et al . The Taskforce 2000 survey on medical education in sleep and sleep disorders. Sleep. 1998;21:235-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Haponik EF, Frye AW, Richards B, Wymer A, Hinds A, Pearce K, et al . Sleep history is neglected diagnostic information. Challenges for primary care physicians. J Gen Intern Med. 1996;11:759-61. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Kramer NR, Cook TE, Carlisle CC, Corwin RW, Millman RP. The role of the primary care physician in recognizing obstructive sleep apnea. Arch Intern Med. 1999;159:965-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Brown University School of Medicine; Providence, RI 02903 (Millman)Corresponding Author: Richard P. Millman, MD, Rhode Island Hospital, Division of Pulmonary, Sleep and Critical Care Medicine, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903. For reprint orders in quantities exceeding 100, please contact the Reprints Coordinator; phone, 215-351-2657; e-mail, [email protected]acponline.org. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoUsing the Berlin Questionnaire To Identify Patients at Risk for the Sleep Apnea Syndrome Nikolaus C. Netzer , Riccardo A. Stoohs , Cordula M. Netzer , Kathryn Clark , and Kingman P. Strohl Risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Frank Tamarin and Robert D. Brandstetter Risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea David A. Nardone Risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Nikolaus C. Netzer and Kingman P. Strohl Risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Ronald S. Strauss and Warren S. Browner Metrics Cited ByThe ChestAssessment and Treatment of Sleep Disorders in the Older AdultRapid screening test for sleep apnea using a nonlinear and nonstationary signal processing techniqueEffect of childhood eczema and asthma on parental sleep and well-being: a prospective comparative studyUNRESOLVED ISSUES IN DIALYSIS: Why Do Patients Sleep on Dialysis?Increased Physician-Reported Sleep ApneaRisk for Obstructive Sleep ApneaFrank Tamarin, MD and Robert D. Brandstetter, MDRisk for Obstructive Sleep ApneaDavid A. Nardone, MD 5 October 1999Volume 131, Issue 7Page: 535-536KeywordsApneaHypertensionInsomniaMedical educationPharynxPrimary care physiciansQuestionnairesSleepSleep apneaSleep disorders Issue Published: 5 October 1999 CopyrightCopyright © 1999 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...