Trends in outpatient visits for insomnia, sleep apnea, and prescriptions for sleep medications among US adults: findings from the National Ambulatory Medical Care survey 1999-2010

• Published in: Sleep (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 37; no. 8; pp. 1283 - 1293
• Main Authors: Ford, Earl S, Wheaton, Anne G, Cunningham, Timothy J, Giles, Wayne H, Chapman, Daniel P, Croft, Janet B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC 01.08.2014
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Ambulatory Care - statistics & numerical data; Ambulatory Care - trends; Female; Health Care Surveys; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; National Trends in Outpatient Visits for Insomnia, Apnea and Sleep Medications; Office Visits - statistics & numerical data; Office Visits - trends; Outpatients - statistics & numerical data; Prescriptions - statistics & numerical data; Sleep Apnea Syndromes - epidemiology; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - drug therapy; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - epidemiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - classification; Sleep Wake Disorders - drug therapy; Sleep Wake Disorders - epidemiology; United States - epidemiology; Young Adult; United States; hypnotics; outpatient care; National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey; trends; insomnia
• ISSN: 0161-8105; 1550-9109
• DOI: 10.5665/sleep.3914

To examine recent national trends in outpatient visits for sleep related difficulties in the United States and prescriptions for sleep medications. Trend analysis. Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 1999 to 2010. Patients age 20 y or older. The number of office visits with insomnia as the stated reason for visit increased from 4.9 million visits in 1999 to 5.5 million visits in 2010 (13% increase), whereas the number with any sleep disturbance ranged from 6,394,000 visits in 1999 to 8,237,000 visits in 2010 (29% increase). The number of office visits for which a diagnosis of sleep apnea was recorded increased from 1.1 million visits in 1999 to 5.8 million visits in 2010 (442% increase), whereas the number of office visits for which any sleep related diagnosis was recorded ranged from 3.3 million visits in 1999 to 12.1 million visits in 2010 (266% increase). The number of prescriptions for any sleep medication ranged from 5.3 in 1999 to 20.8 million in 2010 (293% increase). Strong increases in the percentage of office visits resulting in a prescription for nonbenzodiazepine sleep medications (∼350%), benzodiazepine receptor agonists (∼430%), and any sleep medication (∼200%) were noted. Striking increases in the number and percentage of office visits for sleep related problems and in the number and percentage of office visits accompanied by a prescription for a sleep medication occurred from 1999-2010. Ford ES, Wheaton AG, Cunningham TJ, Giles WH, Chapman DP, Croft JB. Trends in outpatient visits for insomnia, sleep apnea, and prescriptions for sleep medications among US adults: findings from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey 1999-2010.