Abstract
Sleep complaints are very common among the general population and are usually accompanied by significant medical, psychological and social disturbances (Redline S, Strohl K, Otolaryngol Clin North Am, 132:303, 1999). A higher prevalence of sleep complaints has been described in the elderly (Vgontzas AN, Kales A, Annu Rev Med, 50:387–400, 1999). It is manifested by breathing disturbances during sleep, loud snoring, difficulties maintaining sleep, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, mood effects and impairment of daily activities (Lugaresi E, Cirignotta F, Zucconi M et al., Good and poor sleepers: an epidemiological survey of the San Marino population, Raven, New York, pp 1–12, 1983; Kales A, Soldatos CR, Kales JD, Am Fam Physician, 22:101–108, 1980). It has been associated with cardiovascular, endocrine and neurocognitive manifestations. Growing interest in early diagnosis and treatment has been noted in recent years based on emerging knowledge about the potential health consequences when the disease goes untreated (Nanen AM, Dunagan DP, Fleisher A et al., Chest, 121:1741, 2002). The veteran population in the mainland has a higher tendency for obesity, high blood pressure (HBP), sleep disorders and chronic alcohol consumption (Mustafa M, Erokwu N, Ebose I, Strohl K, Sleep Breath, 9:57–63, 2005). The Hispanic veteran population has never been studied in detail for sleep disorders and related conditions. We used previously validated screening tools for sleep disturbance breathing. Two hundred and forty-five questionnaires were administered. We found a higher prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) in our population compared with data from the mainland (USA). The mean age was 64 years (±11). Ninety seven per cent were males. The mean body mass index was 25 kg/cm2; mean Epworth Sleepiness Scale score was 8. Thirty-four per cent met high-risk criteria for sleep apnea, 53% for insomnia, 13% for symptoms suggestive of narcolepsy and 13% for those suggestive of restless leg syndrome. There were high incidences of alcohol consumption (37.6%), diabetes (32.7%), hypercholesterolemia (31.8%), depression (31.8%), hypertension (39.6%) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (9.8%).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Redline S, Strohl K (1999) Recognition and consensus of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 132(2):303
Vgontzas AN, Kales A (1999) Sleep and its disorders. Annu Rev Med 50:387–400
Lugaresi E, Cirignotta F, Zucconi M et al (1983) Good and poor sleepers: an epidemiological survey of the San Marino population. In: Guilleminault C, Lugaresi E (eds) Sleep/wake disorders: natural history, epidemiology and long-term evolution. Raven, New York, pp 1–12
Kales A, Soldatos CR, Kales JD (1980) Taking a sleep history. Am Fam Physician 22:101–108
Kales A, Vela-Bueno A, Kales JD (1987) Sleep disorders: sleep and narcolepsy. Ann Intern Med 106:434–443
Gislason T, Aberg H, Taube A (1987) Snoring and systemic hypertension—an epidemiologic study. Acta Med Scand 222:415–421
Hung J, Whitford EG, Parsons RW et al (1990) Association of sleep apnea with myocardial infarction in men. Lancet 336:261–264
Malone S, Liu PP, Holloway R, Rutherford R, Zie A, Bradley TD (1991) Obstructive sleep apnea in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: effects of continuous positive airway pressure. Lancet 338:1480–1484
Partinen M, Guilleminault C (1988) Daytime sleepiness and vascular morbidity at seven-year follow-up in obstructive sleep apnea patients. Chest 94:9–24
Quan S, Howard B, Iber C, Kiley J, Nieto J, O’Connor G, Rapoport D, Redline S et al (1997) The sleep heart study: design, rationale, and methods. Sleep 20:1077–1085
Young T, Evans L, Finn L, Palta M (1997) Estimation of the clinically diagnosed proportion of sleep apnea syndrome in middle-aged men and women. Sleep 20:705–706
Netzer N, Stoohs R, Netzer C, Clark K, Strohl K (1999) Using the Berlin questionnaire to identify patients at high risk for the sleep apnea syndrome. Ann Intern Med 131:485–491
Blondet M, Yapor P, Rodriguez W (2001) The Berlin questionnaire in Puerto Rico: a need for education and treatment. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 163:A388
Nanen AM, Dunagan DP, Fleisher A et al (2002) Increased physician reported sleep apnea: the national ambulatory medical care survey. Chest 121:1741
Namen A, Dunagan D, Fleisher A, Tillet J, Barnett M, Mc Call W, Haponik E (2002) Increased physician-reported sleep apnea: the national ambulatory medical care survey. Chest 121:1741–1747
Mustafa M, Erokwu N, Ebose I, Strohl K (2005) Sleep problems and the risk for sleep disorders in an outpatient veteran population. Sleep Breath 9:57–63
Peker Y, Hedner J, Norum J, Kraikzi H, Carlson J (2002) Increased incidence of cardiovascular disease in middle-aged men with obstructive sleep apnea. A 7-year follow-up. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 166:159–165
Kales A, Soldatos CR, Kales JD (1980) Taking a sleep history. Am Fam Physician 22:101–108
Young T, Blustein J, Finn L, Palta M (1997) Sleep-disordered breathing and motor vehicle accidents in a population based sample of employed adults. Sleep 20: 608–613
Terán-Santos J, Jiménez-Gómez A, Cordero-Guevara et al (1999) The association between sleep apnea and the risk of traffic accidents. N Engl J Med 340:847
Dement WC, Netzer NC (2000) Primary care: is the setting to address sleep disorders? Sleep Breath 4:1–6
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ocasio-Tascón, M.E., Alicea-Colón, E., Torres-Palacios, A. et al. The veteran population: one at high risk for sleep-disordered breathing. Sleep Breath 10, 70–75 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-005-0043-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-005-0043-9