SLEEP DISORDERS ASSOCIATED WITH SLEEP APNEA SYNDROME

Abstract

Many sleep disorders may coexist with apnea/hypopnea syndrome, especially those who are caused by sleep fragmentation. In this review we will focus some of them as insomnia, sleep bruxism and somnambulism. Insomnia can be referred by patients with apnea. As both disorders can cause severe health problems as car accidents and cardiovascular morbidity and some of the pharmacological treatment of insomnia aggravate apnea, the identification of sleep disordered breathing in patients with insomnia is very important for the correct treatment of both syndromes. Sleep bruxism can be present in as many as 14% of patients with apnea. Its severity may be aggravated by apnea and the therapeutic approach must include its treatment. Somnambulism is one of the most common parasomnias in both children and adults. Patients who frequently snore and presents parasomnias should be evaluated carefully as sleep fragmentation caused by sleep disordered breathing can cause or maintain such sleep problem. In conclusion, identification of other sleep disorders that occur as epiphenomenona or as consequence of sleep apnea is of extreme importance as both treatment of such disorders can aggravate apnea as its misdiagnosis can interfere with clinic improve those patients.