Keywords
subarachnoid hemorrhage
Sleep disorders
Intracranial bleeding
Categories
How to Cite
Abstract
A middle-aged female with a medical history of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and gestational diabetes presented to the clinic requesting an updated sleep study and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy. She also expressed concerns about persistent symptoms of "neuro-fatigue" and weight gain. Her previous sleep study indicated an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) score of 10 events per hour.
This case was managed in an outpatient family medicine setting, which posed some treatment challenges in the context and scope of a family medicine clinic. The patient was referred to a CPAP titration clinic, and laboratory tests were ordered to check for prediabetes. Additionally, referrals to a neurologist and for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan were recommended.
This case highlights the potential connection between obstructive sleep apnea and subarachnoid hemorrhage, underscoring the need for physicians to consider these conditions' possible relationship when treating patients.
References
Professional, C. C. medical. (n.d.). Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH): Symptoms & treatment. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17871-subarachnoid-hemorrhage-sah
Allen RM, Pavlova M. Neuropsychiatry of Sleep and Sleep Disorders. In: Silbersweig DA, Safar LT, Daffner KR, eds. Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurology: Principles and Practice. McGraw Hill; 2021.
Slowik JM, Collen JF. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459252/). [Updated 2022 Feb 10]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022
Zaremba S, Albus L, Schuss P, Vatter H, Klockgether T, Güresir E. Increased risk for subarachnoid hemorrhage in patients with sleep apnea. J Neurol. 2019 Jun;266(6):1351-1357. doi: 10.1007/s00415-019-09265-5. Epub 2019 Mar 5. PMID: 30834980.
Geer, J. H., Falcone, G. J., Vanent, K. N., Leasure, A. C., Woo, D., Molano, J. R., Sansing, L. H., Langefeld, C. D., Pisani, M. A., Yaggi, H. K., & Sheth, K. N. (2021). Obstructive sleep apnea as a risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhage. Stroke, 52(5), 1835–1838. https://doi.org/10.1161/strokeaha.120.033342
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Newsha Sedghi, Voicu S. Ciobanu (Author)