Do we neglect women with sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects approximately 5% of women and 15% of men in the middle-aged adults, and associated with adverse health outcomes. The prevalence and severity of OSA in women increase across the menopause, as the cardiovascular death and events do. Unfortunately, women with OSA might be under-diagnosed due to circumstances related to the family lifestyle and socio-cultural factors in addition to the different OSA clinical expression. Evaluation of cardiovascular global risk assessment in women with OSA is very important to prevent the high potential cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, since they are poorly informed about cardiovascular disease (CVD). So, we should be aware of the clues suspecting OSA and cardiovascular risk in women admitting to sleep clinics. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.