Abstract

LONDONO, Natalia  and  RICO, Álvaro Fernando. Hypothyroidism and sleep apnea. Acta Med Colomb [online]. 2016, vol.41, n.2, pp.138-140. ISSN 0120-2448.

Health is a fundamental right of every human being, as recognized by the Statutory Health Law (Law 1751 of 2015). This law puts professional autonomy to the doctor, and to make good use of it we must exercise our profession within a framework of self-regulation, ethics, rationality and scientific evidence. We the physicians are the ones who are called to lead the identification of unnecessary health expenses without sacrificing quality of care. We begin here a series of articles in which we expect expose, on scientific evidence, which medical practices must we continue, improve or abolish in order to self-regulate us under ethical, quality and scientific rationality concepts.

The clinical picture of hypothyroidism and sleep apnea are quite similar, yet each has unique clinical features that are what we have to assess.

Is it recommended routinely request thyroid tests to all patients with suspected or confirmed diagnosis of sleep apnea?. Is it recommended to perform a sleep study to all patients diagnosed with clinical or subclinical hypothyroidism?.

It is not recommended practice thyroid function tests to all patients diagnosed with sleep apnea, nor do sleep study to all patients with hypothyroidism. It is recommended only when the clinical suspicion warrants it. We suggest carry out cost / effectiveness research. (Acta Med Colomb 2016; 41: 138-140).

Keywords : autonomy; self-regulation; hypothyroidism; sleep apnea; thyroid function tests; polysomnography.

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