General Overview
Chronic sleep loss affects an estimated 50–70 million Americans and is an under-recognized public health problem.1 Left untreated, chronic sleep loss not only produces waketime sleepiness/fatigue and diminishes quality of life but also is associated with high blood pressure, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, cognitive disturbances and memory problems, headaches, weight gain, impotency, and depression. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common breathing-related sleep disorder, is relatively easy to diagnose and effective treatment is available. However, 80–90% of adults with OSA remain undiagnosed and untreated.2 Lack of awareness of OSA and its potential consequences, and limited access to diagnostic facilities are major contributing factors to its poor recognition. To have an impact on improving outcomes of patients suffering from chronic sleep loss, it is important that primary care physicians serving at the front line of healthcare are able to recognize, diagnosis, and manage common sleep disorders such as OSA.
Diagnosing and Managing OSA in Primary Care is a 3-part educational series developed specifically for the primary care audience. Presentations review diagnosis and treatment options for OSA, and application of these skills in the primary care setting. As a follow up to each presentation, an expert panel expands on concepts, regulatory issues, and clinical considerations relevant to the presentation.
- Institute of Medicine. Sleep disorders and sleep deprivation: an unmet public health problem. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2006. http://www.iom.edu/cms/3740/23160/33668.aspx.
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Sleep Apnea Fact Sheet. 2008. http://www.aasmnet.org/Resources/FactSheets/SleepApnea.pdf.
Please click on a specific program title for detailed Program Overview
Program 1: Presentation and Diagnosis of OSA in Primary Care
Program 2: OSA and the Principles of Therapy
Program 3: Management of OSA from a Primary Care Perspective
