863 When sleep takes you to unwanted places?

Autor: Abha Patel, Fayruz Araji
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: Sleep. 44:A335-A335
ISSN: 1550-9109
0161-8105
DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsab072.860
Popis: Introduction Somnambulism is a parasomnia occurring in non-rapid eye movement sleep, and is characterized by ambulation as a disorder of arousal regulation. Sleep deprivation, alcohol abuse, fragmented sleep and certain medications can increase the risk of sleep walking. Report of case(s) Here we present a 35-year-old man with multiple triggers for sleep walking, resulting in recurrent parasomnia events over fifteen years. He had a history of bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic insomnia, moderate untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), anxiety with violent daytime behaviors, and prior alcohol abuse status post six years of sobriety. He was sent to our clinic due to increased frequency and severity of events, with nightly events for the last five years. Episodes were characterized by walking around the home, leaving the home, and driving on occasion. He reported at least one minor car accident as a result of sleep driving. He also reported an injury resulting from a fall in his home while sleep walking. Several security measures were implemented, including door gates, door alarms, and hiding car keys. His family slept in different bedrooms with locked doors for safety. The patient’s chronic insomnia improved with cognitive behavioral therapy, leading to an average sleep time of five hours per night with no reported hypersomnia or daytime fatigue. After his initial evaluation, he was referred for a mandibular advancement device for treatment of his OSA, due to prior poor compliance with positive airway pressure therapy related to his PTSD. Optimizing his OSA helped decrease arousals that might trigger sleep walking events. He also maintained close follow up with mental health for pharmacotherapy and psychological therapy. Treatment with clonazepam 0.25 mg at bedtime was initiated given the severity of his somnambulism. Conclusion The use of a benzodiazepine can reduce slow wave sleep duration by its effect on the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). Our patient had multiple risk factors for parasomnias, with severe, frequent episodes of sleepwalking leading to self-injury. His treatment involved both pharmacotherapy as well as optimization of underlying triggers. Support (if any)
Databáze: OpenAIRE