OSA should be considered important factor in risk of COVID-19, analysis finds
By HME News Staff
Updated 10:58 AM CDT, Mon April 12, 2021
YARMOUTH, Maine – Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) should be given extra care and monitoring to minimize exposure to COVID-19, according to an analysis published in Sleep Medicine. Physicians can use telemedicine-based practice to provide care and evaluations for OSA patients to minimize their visits to hospitals. Physicians and caregivers should also be engaged in close monitoring of OSA patients with suspected COVID-19 for early diagnosis and treatment to avoid severe infections. Additionally, physicians must consider the diagnosis of OSA in COVID-19 patients where a simple questionnaire can be used without the need for a polysomnography study. The STOP-Bang questionnaire, which consists of four subjective (STOP: Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apnea, and high blood Pressure) and four demographics items (BANG: BMI, Age, Neck circumference, Gender), provides good results for screening patients with suspected OSA and could identify patients at risk for adverse outcomes. Finally, OSA should be considered as an important factor in future risk stratification models for COVID-19.
Comments