Sleep Problems Flashcards
do elderly people have an increased or decreased sleep latency?
increased
latency=time to fall asleep
when should we consider polysomnography in an elderly patient? (5)
if primary sleep disorder is suspected:
1) sleep apnea
2) narcolepsy
3) periodic limb movement disorder
4) violent or unusual behaviors during sleep
5) other sleep sx that don’t respond to tx
what can be used in the home to screen for sleep apnea?
in-home portable monitoring
what can we give our patient to use that provides an estimate for sleep vs. wakefulness throughout the night?
wrist-activity monitor
helpful in nursing home setting to identify circadian rhythm disorders
what are the 3 diagnostic criteria for insomnia?
1) difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, waking too early, or sleep that is non-restorative or poor in quality
2) adequate opportunity and circumstances for sleeping
3) daytime impairment related to the sleep complaint, such as fatigue, poor attention, mood disturbance, daytime sleepiness
______ is a common cause of sleep problems
depression
treating depression may improve sleep abnormalities
what are a few common medical problems that can contribute to sleep difficulties?
1) pain from arthritis
2) paresthesias
3) cough
4) dyspnea (cardiac, pulm dz)
5) GERD
_____ can lead to sleep difficulties because of increased frequency of urinatino
diuretics
what are 3 drug classes that can induce nightmares and impair sleep in the elderly?
1) antidepressants
2) antiparkinson agents
3) anti-HTN (propranolol)
what is alcohol abuse’s effect on sleep?
lighter sleep of shorter duration
can worsen sleep apnea
what is the term for the sleep disorder with episodes of cessation of breathing without associated respiratory effort?
central sleep apnea
the ______ pattern of sleep apnea has a crescendo-decrescendo pattern of breathing
cheynes-stokes
what are common causes of central sleep apnea? what should initial treatment focus on?
opioid use, stroke, heart failure, or other conditions
initial TX should focus on management of heart failure, if present
______ sleep apnea is characterized by a complete or partial (hyponea) upper airway obstruction during sleep, with evidence of respiratory effort during the events
obstructive sleep apnea
what will your OSA patient complain of throughout the day?
daytime sleepiness morning headache personality change poor memory, confusion irritability
what might the person with OSA’s bed partner report in their partner during the night?
loud snoring ,cessation of breathing, choking during sleep
what are 2 important predictors of OSA?
high BMI and large neck circumference
others: alcoholism, male gender, dementia
what should we do to confirm DX if we suspect OSA? what is the main treatment?
sleep lab for evaluation
main tx = positive airway pressure
repetitive, stereotypic leg movements that occur during sleep is known as what?
restless leg syndrome
does restless leg syndrome occur during REM sleep or non-REM sleep?
non-REM sleep
diagnosis of periodic limb movement disorder requires what?
polysomnography