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Clinical significance of geriatric sleep apnea syndrome
Author(s) -
Teramoto Shinji,
Inoue Yuichi,
Ouchi Yasuyoshi
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
geriatrics and gerontology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1447-0594
pISSN - 1444-1586
DOI - 10.1046/j.1444-1586.2002.00044.x
Subject(s) - medicine , polysomnography , depression (economics) , sleep apnea , dementia , apnea , excessive daytime sleepiness , insomnia , clinical significance , pediatrics , physical therapy , geriatrics , apnea–hypopnea index , sleep disorder , psychiatry , disease , economics , macroeconomics
The prevalence of sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is known to increase with advancing age, contributing to excessive daytime sleepiness, cardiovascular dysfunction and the impairment of health‐related quality of life. However SAS is often undiagnosed and overlooked in the elderly. It is important to note that SAS is a differential diagnosis of insomnia, dementia, and depression in the elderly. For an accurate diagnosis of geriatric SAS, the apnea and hypopnea index as measured by polysomnography must be greater than 10 or 15. Many untoward effects of SAS on the health status of the elderly are considered to be clinically significant. Although it has been suggested that geriatric SAS has less effect on the mortality and morbidity of sufferers than does middle‐aged SAS, sleep apnea in any age group, if severe and accompanied by symptoms, should be treated. However, the clinical significance of geriatric SAS should be further elucidated.