A Narrative Review of the Association between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often co-morbid with implications for disease severity and treatment outcomes. OSA prevalence is higher in PTSD sufferers than in the general population, with a likely bidirectional effect of the two illnesses. There is subs...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/2/415 |
| _version_ | 1797492955015020544 |
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| author | Catherine A. McCall Nathaniel F. Watson |
| author_facet | Catherine A. McCall Nathaniel F. Watson |
| author_sort | Catherine A. McCall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often co-morbid with implications for disease severity and treatment outcomes. OSA prevalence is higher in PTSD sufferers than in the general population, with a likely bidirectional effect of the two illnesses. There is substantial evidence to support the role that disturbed sleep may play in the pathophysiology of PTSD. Sleep disturbance associated with OSA may interfere with normal rapid eye movement (REM) functioning and thus worsen nightmares and sleep-related movements. Conversely, hyperarousal and hypervigilance symptoms of PTSD may lower the arousal threshold and thus increase the frequency of sleep fragmentation related to obstructive events. Treating OSA not only improves OSA symptoms, but also nightmares and daytime symptoms of PTSD. Evidence suggests that positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy reduces PTSD symptoms in a dose-dependent fashion, but also presents challenges to tolerance in the PTSD population. Alternative OSA treatments may be better tolerated and effective for improving both OSA and PTSD. Further research avenues will be introduced as we seek a better understanding of this complex relationship. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:13:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-42f3a944beaa4180b11773cd3acb0623 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:13:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-42f3a944beaa4180b11773cd3acb06232023-11-23T14:13:37ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832022-01-0111241510.3390/jcm11020415A Narrative Review of the Association between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obstructive Sleep ApneaCatherine A. McCall0Nathaniel F. Watson1Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USADepartment of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USAObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often co-morbid with implications for disease severity and treatment outcomes. OSA prevalence is higher in PTSD sufferers than in the general population, with a likely bidirectional effect of the two illnesses. There is substantial evidence to support the role that disturbed sleep may play in the pathophysiology of PTSD. Sleep disturbance associated with OSA may interfere with normal rapid eye movement (REM) functioning and thus worsen nightmares and sleep-related movements. Conversely, hyperarousal and hypervigilance symptoms of PTSD may lower the arousal threshold and thus increase the frequency of sleep fragmentation related to obstructive events. Treating OSA not only improves OSA symptoms, but also nightmares and daytime symptoms of PTSD. Evidence suggests that positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy reduces PTSD symptoms in a dose-dependent fashion, but also presents challenges to tolerance in the PTSD population. Alternative OSA treatments may be better tolerated and effective for improving both OSA and PTSD. Further research avenues will be introduced as we seek a better understanding of this complex relationship.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/2/415post-traumatic stress disorderobstructive sleep apneaPTSDOSA |
| spellingShingle | Catherine A. McCall Nathaniel F. Watson A Narrative Review of the Association between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Journal of Clinical Medicine post-traumatic stress disorder obstructive sleep apnea PTSD OSA |
| title | A Narrative Review of the Association between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea |
| title_full | A Narrative Review of the Association between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea |
| title_fullStr | A Narrative Review of the Association between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Narrative Review of the Association between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea |
| title_short | A Narrative Review of the Association between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea |
| title_sort | narrative review of the association between post traumatic stress disorder and obstructive sleep apnea |
| topic | post-traumatic stress disorder obstructive sleep apnea PTSD OSA |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/2/415 |
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