Description
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common but underdiagnosed condition associated with serious health risks, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and accidents. Pharmacists are well placed to recognise symptoms such as loud snoring, witnessed apnoeas, and daytime sleepiness, and to use simple screening tools like OSA50 to identify patients at risk. This CPD activity provides pharmacists with a comprehensive understanding of OSA pathophysiology, diagnostic approaches, and treatment options—from CPAP therapy to emerging pharmacological agents and highlights the pharmacist’s role in referral, counselling, and supporting long-term adherence to therapy.
Learning Objectives
After completing this activity, pharmacists should be able to:
- understand the pathophysiology of sleep apnoea, identify the risk factors for developing apnoea, and be able to list health consequences of sleep apnoea;
- identify key diagnostic approaches to assessing people for obstructive sleep apnoea;
- identify treatment options for the management of sleep apnoea;
- understand and describe current pharmacological treatment approaches for obstructive sleep apnoea that are being tested in clinical trials;
- discuss the role of the pharmacist in supporting patients at risk of and with diagnosed sleep apnoea.
Expires 31st December 2025
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