title: Diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnoea in women with schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is often overlooked in the context of schizophrenia because its hallmark, daytime sleepiness, is so easily attributable to antipsychotic drugs. This is a special problem for women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To underscore the importance of diagnosing and treating OSA in women with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of the recent literature (search terms: Obstructive Sleep Apnoea; Schizophrenia; Women (or Gender); Obesity; Antipsychotics; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)) as it applies to a composite case vignette taken from the files of a specialty clinic that treats women with psychosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of OSA in women who are both obese and postmenopausal is very similar to that of men. Family history, smoking, and the use of tobacco, alcohol and of antipsychotic medication increase the risk. Despite reluctance, patients with schizophrenia generally agree to undergo sleep studies. Compliance with CPAP is difficult, but can be aided by the physician and is, on the whole, relatively high in women. CPAP improves sleep parameters and may also improve cardiometabolic and cognitive indices, although this still needs to be more fully researched.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Schizophrenia and untreated OSA are both associated with high mortality rates in women as well as men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto , Ontario , Canada.
authors.forename: Mary V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Seeman
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: Antipsychotics; continuous positive airway pressure; obesity; obstructive sleep apnoea; schizophrenia; women