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Insomnia among hospitalized older persons
1Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, St. Louis Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, St. Louis, MO, USA. flaherty@slu.edu
Clinics in Geriatric Medicine
|November 24, 2007
Summary
Hospitalized older adults frequently experience insomnia, often linked to underlying health issues. Non-pharmacologic interventions are recommended over sedating drugs due to safety concerns.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Sleep Medicine
- Hospital Medicine
Background:
- High prevalence of insomnia among hospitalized older adults, indicated by 31%-88% use of sedative-hypnotic drugs.
- Insomnia may signal undiagnosed sleep disorders, medical, or psychiatric conditions.
- Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors contribute to insomnia in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the prevalence and causes of insomnia in hospitalized older adults.
- To discuss the implications of abnormal sleep patterns, even with seemingly normal sleep durations.
- To highlight the benefits of non-pharmacologic interventions over pharmacologic treatments.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on insomnia in hospitalized patients, particularly older adults.
- Analysis of studies focusing on sleep patterns in intensive care units using polysomnography.
- Examination of evidence supporting various intervention strategies.
Main Results:
- Hospitalized older persons exhibit high rates of insomnia.
- Polysomnography in intensive care units reveals abnormal sleep patterns despite adequate sleep duration.
- Non-pharmacologic interventions are supported by evidence as a safer alternative.
Conclusions:
- Insomnia is a significant issue in hospitalized older adults, often multifactorial.
- Abnormal sleep architecture is common, even when total sleep time appears normal.
- Non-pharmacologic approaches are preferred for managing insomnia due to the risks of sedating medications.
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