[Insomnia: prevalence in Cordoba city hospital]

Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by a deficient or poor quality sleep, with adverse daytime consequences. Prevalence is 30-50% in adults and can be associated with depression or lead to the development of this condition. Despite the high prevalence rates, is a unrecognized, misdiagnosis and undertreated. There is not much publications about its prevalence in patients with chronic diseases.

to determine prevalence and clinical characteristics of insomnia in outpatients with chronic diseases.

Prospective observational cross-sectional descriptive study. Insomnia was defined based on ICSD-2criteria. The data collection was performed by a questionnaire.

We surveyed 100 patients who attended the consultation of various clinical specialties, mean age 50 years old, 57% were women. Sixty nine per cent of them met criteria for insomnia. The most prevalent diseases were hypertension: 57%, asthma 20%, diabetes: 18% and hypothyroidism: 17%. Among patients with insomnia, 62% were women, 35% had insomnia without another illness, and the remaining 65% had secondary conditions associated with insomnia (60% depression). 25% of patients consulting for insomnia ever. The prevalence of criteria for depression in outpatients with chronic diseases was 52%, amounting to 63% in patients suffering from insomnia.

The prevalence of insomnia in patients with chronic diseases is high (in outpatients with chronic disease: 69%), higher than the average rate described in the general population. It is an undertreated condition.

The prevalence of insomnia in patients with chronic diseases is high, it is underdiagnosed and undertreated. It is associated with depression in high rate.