Can you die from obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS)?

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Sleep Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS) is increasingly linked to cardiovascular mortality.
• Accurate death certification is crucial for public health surveillance and understanding disease impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess physicians' awareness of the association between OSAS and cardiovascular death.
• To investigate the correlation between this awareness and the recording of OSAS on death certificates.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Central Statistics Office (CSO) data for OSAS mentions on death certificates (2008-2011).
• Survey of physicians regarding their perception of OSAS as a cause of death.
• Comparison of documented causes of death with physician survey data.

Main Results:

• CSO data revealed only 54 deaths mentioning OSAS (2 direct, 52 contributory) between 2008-2011.
• A high percentage of surveyed doctors (96%) believed OSAS could be an indirect cause of death, and 41% believed it could be a direct cause.
• Only 12% of physicians reported documenting OSAS as a cause of death.

Conclusions:

• OSAS is significantly underreported on death certificates.
• A discrepancy exists between physicians' awareness of OSAS's role in mortality and its actual documentation.
• Improved training and awareness are needed to ensure accurate recording of OSAS on death certificates.