PTSD, Sleep Apnea Patients May Have Reduced Quality Of Life

Patients who suffer with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder along with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may have a reduced quality of life. In the study, researchers found that patients who experience both PTSD and sleep apnea experienced more sleepiness and they were less responsive to positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy.

Researchers from the Sleep Disorders Center at the San Antonio Military Medical Center in Texas carried out a controlled study, where they performed sleep studies on more than 200 military medical patients with PTSD. They found that more than half of these patients were diagnosed with OSA. The patients of this study were compared with 50 OSA patients without PTSD, and they were also compared with 50 patients without either PTSD or OSA.

When compared with patients from the other groups, PTSD and OSA patients had the worse quality of life measured, where they suffered from more sleepiness and they were less aware and response to treatment. The study also found that patients with PTSD are at a high risk of OSA, while patients with both PTSD and OSA should be evaluated for PAP treatment options.  

The findings of this study were published in the journal CHEST.

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