Doghramji Karl
Sleep Disorders Center, Thomas Jefferson University, 1015 Walnut Street, Suite 319, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Am J Manag Care. 2006 May;12(8 Suppl):S214-20.
Many questions remain unanswered with regard to our understanding of insomnia. Although it is generally believed that 10% to 15% of the adult population suffers from chronic insomnia, and an additional 25% to 35% have transient or occasional insomnia, prevalence estimates vary because of inconsistent definitions and diagnostic criteria. The elderly in particular are affected by insomnia, and it has been shown that women are more likely to have sleep difficulties than men. Although insomnia can be a primary condition, and can coexist with other disorders or be considered secondary to these disorders, the mechanisms producing it are not clearly defined. Additionally, the relationship between insomnia and other disease states is not always clear because it is often not possible to determine the cause-and-effect relationship between disorders. Epidemiologic studies show that abnormal sleep patterns predict lower life expectancy, and that people with insomnia are more likely to develop affective disorders, substance abuse, and other adverse health outcomes. This article will provide an overview of insomnia, its prevalence and epidemiology, and guidelines for clinical assessment.
在我们对失眠症的理解方面，许多问题仍未得到解答。尽管人们普遍认为10%至15%的成年人口患有慢性失眠症，另有25%至35%的人有短暂性或偶尔性失眠，但由于定义和诊断标准不一致，患病率估计值各不相同。老年人尤其容易受到失眠症的影响，而且有研究表明，女性比男性更易出现睡眠困难。尽管失眠症可能是一种原发性病症，也可能与其他疾病共存或被视为这些疾病的继发性病症，但其产生机制尚未明确界定。此外，失眠症与其他疾病状态之间的关系并不总是清晰的，因为往往无法确定各种病症之间的因果关系。流行病学研究表明，异常的睡眠模式预示着较低的预期寿命，而且失眠症患者更有可能患上情感障碍、药物滥用和其他不良健康后果。本文将概述失眠症、其患病率和流行病学情况以及临床评估指南。
