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Obesity hypoventilation syndrome

  • Sleeping and Breathing (T Lee-Chiong, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome is a respiratory consequence of morbid obesity that is characterized by alveolar hypoventilation during sleep and wakefulness. The disorder involves a complex interaction between impaired respiratory mechanics, ventilatory drive, and sleep-disordered breathing. Early diagnosis and treatment is important because delay in treatment is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Available treatment options include noninvasive positive airway pressure (PAP) therapies and weight loss. There is limited long-term data regarding the effectiveness of such therapies. This review outlines the current concepts of clinical presentation and diagnostic and management strategies to help identify and treat patients with obesity hypoventilation syndromes.

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Acknowledgments

Funding support from NIH/NHLBI (5R01HL095748) and PCORI contract (IHS-1306-2505) to S.P. The funding institutions did not have any role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

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Conflict of Interest Statement

Dr. Parthasarathy reports grants from NIH/NHLBI, Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, US Department of Defense, grants from NIH (National Cancer Institute) NCI, US Department of Army, Johrei Institute, personal fees from American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Younes Sleep Technologies, Ltd., Niveus Medical Inc., and Philips-Respironics, Inc., outside the submitted work. Dr. Parthasarathy also reports personal fees from the American College of Chest Physicians and non-financial support from the National Center for Sleep Disorders Research of the NIH (NHLBI), USMLEWorld Inc., UpToDate Inc., and Philips-Respironics, Inc., outside the submitted work. Dr. Parthasarathy also has a patent UA 14-018 U.S.S.N. 61/884,654; PTAS 502570970 pending.

Dr. Shetty does not have any conflict of interest to declare.

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  1. Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Arizona Respiratory Center, University of Arizona, 1501 N Campbell Ave., Rm 2342D, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA

    Safal Shetty & Sairam Parthasarathy

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  1. Safal Shetty
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  2. Sairam Parthasarathy
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Correspondence to Sairam Parthasarathy.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Sleeping and Breathing

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Shetty, S., Parthasarathy, S. Obesity hypoventilation syndrome. Curr Pulmonol Rep 4, 42–55 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13665-015-0108-6

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