Skip Navigation
Menu
Editorials |16 March 1999

Economic Implications of the Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Allan I. Pack, MB, ChB, PhD; Indira Gurubhagavatula, MD, MPH

Article, Author, and Disclosure Information
Author, Article, and Disclosure Information
  • University of Pennsylvania Medical Center; Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283
×
FULL TEXT
The past decade has witnessed considerable accumulation of evidence indicating just how common the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is. The most definitive study to date, the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study, estimates that 4% of middle-aged adult men and 2% of middle-aged adult women have symptomatic sleep apnea (1). Prevalence rates in persons older than 65 years are even higher (2). Moreover, evidence of morbidity associated with this condition is growing. Obstructive sleep apnea causes excessive daytime sleepiness (3, 4), and, in prospective studies, an increased risk for vehicular crashes has been demonstrated in men (5). Sleep apnea is a risk factor for cardiovascular conditions, although data supporting this assertion have been received with some skepticism (6). Recently, however, the large, multicenter Sleep Heart Study demonstrated in initial cross-sectional analyses an increased risk for hypertension in persons with sleep apnea, particularly those younger than 60 years of age, even after controlling for common confounders (such as obesity) (Samet J. Personal communication; 1998).
Sleep apnea is a chronic condition, and an estimated 80% to 90% of persons with obstructive sleep apnea have not received a clinical diagnosis (7). This large number of presumed patients in whom the condition is undiagnosed presents a challenge to any health care delivery system. The growing recognition of this disorder has led to an increased demand for services. In one health maintenance organization (Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound), the rate of polysomnographies increased from 91.7 to 205.3 per 100 000...
FULL TEXT
PDF
Not Available
Citations
Citation

Pack AI, Gurubhagavatula I. Economic Implications of the Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Ann Intern Med. 1999;130:533–534. doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-130-6-199903160-00019

Download citation file:

© 2020

×
Permissions

Published: Ann Intern Med. 1999;130(6):533-534.

DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-130-6-199903160-00019

18 Citations

Related Articles
Determined Action Needed on Social Determinants
Annals of Internal Medicine; 168 (8): 596-597
Provider Types and Outcomes in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Case Finding and Treatment: A Systematic Review
Annals of Internal Medicine; 168 (3): 195-202
Review: In adults with sleep apnea, positive airway pressure does not reduce cardiovascular events or death
Annals of Internal Medicine; 167 (10): JC54
Review: In obstructive sleep apnea, continuous positive airway pressure does not reduce cardiovascular outcomes
Annals of Internal Medicine; 167 (10): JC55
View MoreView Less

Journal Club
Review: In adults with sleep apnea, positive airway pressure does not reduce cardiovascular events or death
Annals of Internal Medicine; 167 (10): JC54
Review: In obstructive sleep apnea, continuous positive airway pressure does not reduce cardiovascular outcomes
Annals of Internal Medicine; 167 (10): JC55
Review: CPAP improves QoL in obstructive sleep apnea; effects not as clear for mandibular advancement devices
Annals of Internal Medicine; 167 (4): JC18
Guideline: Insufficient evidence exists on screening for obstructive sleep apnea in asymptomatic adults
Annals of Internal Medicine; 166 (10): JC50
View MoreView Less

Related Point of Care
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Annals of Internal Medicine; 161 (9): ITC1
View MoreView Less

Related Topics
Pulmonary/Critical Care
Sleep Disorders

Pulmonary/Critical Care, Sleep Disorders.

CONTINUE WITH LIMITED ACCESS
Annals of Internal Medicine
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×
acp link acp
silverchair link silverchair

Copyright © 2020 American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.

Print ISSN: 0003-4819 | Online ISSN: 1539-3704

Privacy Policy

|

Conditions of Use

This site uses cookies. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our privacy policy. | Accept
×

You need a subscription to this content to use this feature.

×
PDF Downloads Require Access to the Full Article.
Annals of Internal Medicine
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×
Access to this Free Content Requires Users to be Registered and Logged In. Please Choose One of the Following Options
Annals of Internal Medicine
To receive access to the full text of freely available articles, alerts, and more. You will be directed to acponline.org to complete your registration.
×