What If It's Not Just Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Assessing, Managing, and Understanding the Impact of Non-Obstructive Sleep Apnea Sleep Disorders

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disease impacting up to 20% of our population. If untreated, it can lead to significant quality of life symptoms and an increased risk of cardiovascular comorbidities. Positive airway pressure (PAP) is the typical initial treatment option for management of most patients diagnosed with OSA. However, a significant number of patients struggle with compliance to PAP leaving many untreated.

As we improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of OSA and develop alternative techniques and technologies to treat the disease, many patients who have previously been untreated are finding their way back to practitioners to explore alternative treatment options. Because many of these new techniques and technologies require a surgical procedure, the Otolaryngologist is becoming central in the management of OSA.

Although OSA is commonly associated with significant quality of life derangements including sleep disruption and daytime sleepiness, it is not the only sleep disorder causing these symptoms. There are 81 different sleep disorders listed in the International Classification of Sleep Disorders. These include periodic limb movement disorder, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, among many others. Many of these sleep disorders present with symptoms of sleep disruption and daytime sleepiness, potentially confusing a diagnosis of OSA.

The goals of the session are to utilize a brief lecture and case-based discussion format to discuss the commonly seen non-OSA sleep disorders that may contribute to the patient’s presenting symptoms and obscure the diagnosis of OSA. We will discuss the diagnosis of many of these disorders, how to screen for them during an initial office visit, and common therapies that can be employed to manage them. Lastly, we will discuss the impact these disorders can have on the management of OSA if they go untreated.