Identifying depression as a symptom of sleep apnea

Sleep apnea syndrome is a common, life-threatening disorder, causing significant physical, emotional, and social problems. The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome can lead to an erroneous diagnosis of dysthymia. For patients with sleep apnea syndrome, standard antidepressant treatments may exacerbate the condition. DSM-IV's diagnostic model needs only a small change to allow consideration of sleep apnea syndrome as a cause of a mood disorder.