Overview

Despite obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) being a source of significant morbidity and mortality, it is underdiagnosed and undertreated. Poor patient outcomes stem from inadequate and/or inconsistent screening in high-risk patients, a dearth of sleep specialists to effectively manage all patients, and poor collaboration amongst disciplines to evaluate and manage patients. And while CPAP remains the standard of care for patients with OSA, it is insufficient for a sizeable number of patients and not tolerated by patients with high-risk comorbidities. 

Are you equipped to:
• Recognize typical and atypical presentations of OSA?
• Conduct effective screenings for your patients at high risk?
• Select and interpret the best sleep test for a patient?
• Provide a timely referral for a formative diagnosis to ensure optimal management?
• Coordinate and manage care for your patients with OSA?

Developed by experts specializing in sleep management, this dynamic online slide library allows you to choose topics that are most relevant to your clinical setting and customize an educational activity to improve the quality of care you provide to your patients with OSA. It's time to help your patients get the quality sleep they deserve and reduce the potential for complications! 

This activity is intended for multidisciplinary healthcare providers involved in the care of patients with obesity who may also have OSA, including primary care providers pharmacists, dentists, surgeons, endocrinologists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, neurologists, obesity care specialists, and advance practice providers.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic disorder characterized by repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep. In the United States, OSA is common due to the high prevalence of risk factors, such as obesity and advanced age. The impacts of OSA cause major morbidity and may be life-threatening. Sleep disruptions caused by OSA can lead to impaired vigilance, daytime somnolence, performance deficits, morning headaches, mood disturbances, cognitive dysfunction, impaired workplace productivity, and motor vehicle accidents. OSA is a source of major morbidity and mortality, and providers must be knowledgeable and competent to identify those at risk and provide a timely diagnosis to ensure that patients receive optimal management.

Upon completion of this activity, learners will be able to:

• Implement routine OSA screening for patients with obesity and other OSA risk factors.
• Identify tools that can aid in screening patients for OSA.
• Initiate diagnostic workups for patients with suspected OSA.
• Evaluate results from OSA diagnostic studies.
• Implement multidisciplinary approaches to provide comprehensive management of OSA.

This educational activity is presented in collaboration with Rush University Medical Center and the Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning (ACHL).      

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Lilly.

1. Active Internet connection (DSL or Cable). Dial-up connection will have constant buffering problem.
2. Compatible with Windows PC and MAC (256 MB of RAM or higher)
3. Activity is best viewed on Internet Explorer 9.0 or higher, Safari 5.0 or higher and Firefox 29.0 or higher
4. Adobe Flash Player 12.0 (or higher). Click here to download Adobe Flash Player for free.
5. Adobe Reader to print certificate. Click here to download Adobe Reader for free.
6. Allow ActiveX controls to run on your computer: If the yellow strip appears on the top of your web browser while running the Webcast, right click on it and select Allow blocked contents to run.
7. Turn the Pop-up blocker off: On the Tools menu, point to Pop-up Blocker, and then click Turn Off Pop-up Blocker

On December 20, 2024, tirzepatide received FDA approval for the treatment of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity.