title: Implications and interventions related to obstructive sleep apnea.
abstract: Surgical patients with known or unknown obstructive sleep apnea are at increased risk for postoperative complications. By implementing evidence-based practices and a validated screening tool, the postoperative surgical patients at the authors' hospital have a decreased risk of postoperative complications, specifically oversedation. This article discusses the pathophysiology, prevalence, risk factors, care of the postsurgical patient, and use of the validated STOP-Bang questionnaire with obstructive sleep apnea as the focus.
authors.affiliation: Nursing Administration, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, 3500 Gaston Avenue, Dallas, TX 75246, USA. Electronic address: amyv@baylorhealth.edu.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veenstra
authors.affiliation: Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, 3500 Gaston Avenue, Dallas, TX 75246, USA.
authors.forename: Emylene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Untalan
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Complications; Hypopnea; Obstructive sleep apnea; Risk factors; STOP-Bang questionnaire