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Individuals 60 and older who’re excessively sleepy throughout the day might have extra issues with reminiscence and pondering after surgical procedure, suggests a research introduced on the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual assembly. Daytime sleepiness is a symptom of sleep deficiency that impacts as much as 20% of adults and will enhance the chance of perioperative neurocognitive issues (PNDs), researchers discovered.
“Asking patients, their family or caregivers if they doze frequently during the day or have trouble staying alert might provide an important clue to brain health after surgery,” mentioned Jeffry Takla, M.D., lead creator of the research and a postdoctoral affiliate in anesthesiology at Duke College Faculty of Drugs, Durham, North Carolina.
“Excessive daytime sleepiness is often overlooked in preoperative evaluations, but it can elevate the risk of PNDs. PNDs have been associated with worse postoperative quality of life and increased hospital length of stay. In some cases, patients may not fully recover their previous level of independence and may need extra help from caregivers or even transition to assisted living.”
A PND is an issue with pondering and consciousness that may have an effect on as much as 40% of older sufferers after surgical procedure. It typically seems as delirium, a sudden state of confusion that may come and go inside days after surgical procedure and embrace signs like being disoriented, having bother focusing or not following directions.
In some circumstances, it might probably proceed for weeks or months as a longer-term neurocognitive dysfunction and embrace confusion, reminiscence issues and issue concentrating, which may cut back high quality of life.
Within the research, 96 sufferers aged 60 or older scheduled for non-cardiac surgical procedure accomplished the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, a brief questionnaire that measures daytime sleepiness based mostly on how doubtless the individual is to go to sleep throughout frequent actions resembling studying or watching TV. Additionally they underwent dwelling sleep apnea testing and had cognitive and delirium assessments earlier than and after surgical procedure.
Of that group, 11 (11.5%) had skilled reasonable to extreme daytime sleepiness. Six weeks after surgical procedure, 82 sufferers returned for cognitive and delirium assessments and 14 of them (17.1%) skilled postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction.
The eight sufferers with reasonable to extreme extreme daytime sleepiness who accomplished follow-up testing had been discovered to have better world cognitive decline—which means worse issues with reminiscence and pondering—six weeks after surgical procedure.
Households and caretakers might help cut back the chance of PNDs by spending time with the affected person. They need to alert the well being care crew in the event that they discover the affected person is displaying new indicators of reminiscence issues, bother paying consideration or agitation. This alerts the care crew to examine for attainable causes of PNDs, whereas additionally specializing in supportive steps like re-orienting the affected person, getting them shifting early and guaranteeing they’re consuming and ingesting sufficient.
“Excessive daytime sleepiness isn’t a normal part of aging,” mentioned Dr. Takla. “It often stems from poor or fragmented sleep, sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, medication side effects, or other health or mental health conditions.”
Good sleep habits might help. They embrace common mattress and wake occasions, getting pure daylight and every day exercise, limiting night caffeine and alcohol and a quiet, comfy bed room. If sleepiness continues, individuals ought to see their major care physician or sleep specialist to find out the trigger and discover therapy.
“Future studies should examine whether excessive daytime sleepiness is linked to the incidence of PND. If such a relationship exists, researchers should explore whether detecting and treating excessive daytime sleepiness can lower the risk of PNDs, such as delirium, in older patients after surgery,” mentioned Dr. Takla.
“People who have this problem may consider having a sleep study or sleep hygiene counseling, especially if their symptoms continue or interfere with daily function.”
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American Society of Anesthesiologists
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Extreme daytime sleepiness might elevate danger of cognitive issues after surgical procedure (2025, October 13)
retrieved 13 October 2025
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