Sleep apnea confused with depression.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)

A study published in the journal Chest suggests that physicians sometimes confuse the symptoms of depression with those of obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when the tongue or throat muscles relax to a point of blocking the airway, causing disrupted sleep. The New York Times (Sept. 20) reported that many patients with symptoms of depression seemed to improve when they received continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, the standard treatment for apnea. Although these findings do not apply to everyone with depression, said lead author Daniel J. Schwartz, M.D., those with symptoms suggestive of a …