Evaluation and Management of Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome
Publication Date: August 1, 2019
Key Points
Key Points
- Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is defined by the combination of obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m2), sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and awake daytime hypercapnia (awake resting partial pressure of arterial CO2 or PaCO2 ≥45 mmHg at sea level), after excluding other causes for hypoventilation.
- OHS is the most severe form of obesity-induced respiratory compromise and leads to serious sequelae, including increased rates of mortality, chronic heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and hospitalization due to acute-on-chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure, among others.
- While the definition of OHS suggests a diurnal pathology, polysomnography or sleep respiratory polygraphy is required to determine the pattern of SDB and hypoventilation (obstructive or non-obstructive), to tailor treatment, and to establish the optimal settings of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy.
- PAP has become the primary management option for controlling SDB and reversing awake hypoventilation in patients with OHS.
Evaluation
...luation
...ure 1. Summary Guideline FlowchartFlo...
Management
...nagemen...
...obese patients with sleep-disordere...
...with low to moderate probability of having OHS...
...The ATS suggests that clinicians a...
...able ambulatory patients diagnosed wit...
...stable ambulatory patients diagnosed...
4: The ATS suggests that hospitali...
...: For patients with OHS the ATS sug...