Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology (수면정신생리)

KOREAN ACADEMY OF SLEEP MEDICINE (대한수면의학회)
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Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders in the Elderly

노인에서의 수면 호흡 장애

  • Shin, Chol (Devision of Pulmonary, Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Sleep Disorder Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Korea, Ansan Medical Center)
  • 신철 (고려대학교 의과대학 내과학교실(호흡기내과))
  • Published : 2001.06.30
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Abstract

In 2000, the number of people aged 65 and over increased to 3.37 million, accounting for 7.1% of the total population of South Korea. The elderly population will increase up to 19.3% in 2030. Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) seems to increase with age. More than 50-60% of old people complain of SDB-related signs and symptoms including awakening headache, excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, personality changes, and depression. The influence of a mild degree of SDB upon the elderly is unclear, but moderate to severe SDB is well known to be associated with many diseases including hypertension, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, stroke, dementia, and sudden death. Therefore, physicians should pay attention to elderly patients who complain of SDB related symptoms and signs that may not be normal signs of aging. Physicians need to become more sensitive to treat SDB in the elderly.

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