Undiagnosed Obstructive sleep Apnea (OSA) puts patients at risk of complications when undergoing surgery or anesthesia and following the surgery. According to a new study, answering a few simple questions can determine if the patient has OSA and gives them an opportunity to be treated for the above condition prior to surgery.
A new tool called STOP consists of the following 4 questions:
S – Do you snore loudly?
T – Do you often feel tired, sleepy or fatigued during the day time?
O – Has anyone seen you stop breathing in your sleep?
P – Do you have or are you being treated for high blood pressure?
Answering “yes” to one or more of the above questions means that OSA must be evaluated prior to surgery. The National sleep Foundation advises all patients and all those at risk for OSA to discuss with their health care providers before undergoing any surgical procedures.
Anesthesiology: May 2008- Volume 108-Issue 5-pp 812-821