[Diagnostic strategy for hypersomnolence disorders]

Sleepiness concerns one in five French people and involves a severe accidental risk. The recent notion of hypersomnolence includes excessive daytime sleepiness and the excessive need for sleep. The diagnostic approach to hypersomnolence begins with a clinical exploration by interview and sleep diary in order to specify the symptoms, to compare them with the typology and the patient's individual sleep need to rule out chronic sleep deprivation and a circadian rhythm disorder. In case of poor quality of sleep (or dyssomnia) associated, one must investigate for sleep apnea syndrome or restless legs syndrome with periodic legs movements. Secondary causes include mental or somatic diseases or a toxic origin. The diagnosis of central hypersomnia can be suspected on the characteristics of hypersomnolence or at the end of the diagnostic process. It will require ruling out the most frequent causes of hypersomnolence and the confounding factors for polysomnography interpretation. The causes and consequences associated with hypersomnolence require early detection, precise diagnosis and comprehensive management.