Rutgers researchers have developed a tool to help neurologists screen for obstructive sleep apnea in people with epilepsy whose seizures can be magnified by sleep disorders.
Rutgers researchers have developed a tool to help neurologists screen for obstructive sleep apnea in people with epilepsy whose seizures can be magnified by sleep disorders.
The study appears in the journal Neurology Clinical Practice.
Although detection and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can improve seizure control in some patients with epilepsy, providers have not regularly assessed patients for those risk factors. The researchers developed an electronic health record alert for neurologists to evaluate a patient’s need for a sleep study. This study can determine the necessity for treatment, which can result in improved seizure control, reduction in antiepileptic medications and reduce the risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.
OSA occurs when breathing is interrupted during sleep. The Epilepsy Foundation estimates that approximately 40 percent of people living with epilepsy have a higher prevalence of OSA that contributes to poor seizure control.
Read more at Rutgers University
Image: The study was led by Martha A. Mulvey (left), a nurse practitioner at University Hospital's department of neurosciences. Co-author Xue Ming is a professor of neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. (Credit: Nick Romanenko / Rutgers University)
