BackTable / ENT / Podcast / Episode #182

Understanding OSA in Women

with Dr. Megan Durr

Epidemiological studies reveal that women make up 25% of all obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, yet only 11% of patients carrying OSA diagnoses are women. What drives this disparity? In this episode of the BackTable ENT Podcast, sleep surgeon and UCSF Associate Professor Dr. Megan Durr joins host Dr. Gopi Shah to discuss OSA in women.

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Medtronic ENT

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Understanding OSA in Women with Dr. Megan Durr on the BackTable ENT Podcast

Ep 182 Understanding OSA in Women with Dr. Megan Durr

00:00 / 01:04

BackTable, LLC (Producer). (2024, July 23). Ep. 182 – Understanding OSA in Women [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.backtable.com

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Podcast Contributors

Dr. Ashley Agan

Dr. Ashley Agan is an otolaryngologist in Dallas, TX.

Dr. Megan Durr

Dr. Megan Durr is an associate professor of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery and interim chief of otolaryngology at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

Dr. Gopi Shah

Dr. Gopi Shah is a pediatric otolaryngologist and the co-host of BackTable ENT.

Synopsis

First, Dr. Durr recounts her path to sleep surgery, including her interest in women’s sleep issues, which grew out of discussions with her female friends experiencing pregnancy-related sleep disturbances. When asked why OSA is under-diagnosed in women, Dr. Durr underscores how women’s OSA symptoms – mental fog, memory issues, and insomnia – are relatively nonspecific. While it presents differently in women, OSA increases the risk of heart failure, hypertension, and dementia in all patients, regardless of sex. Then, Dr. Durr shares her physical exam and testing strategies to uncover OSA in female patients. Once diagnosed, she advocates multimodal treatment, including CPAP, weight loss, and surgery.

The podcast concludes with discussion of how ENTs can eliminate barriers to better sleep in women, underrepresented minorities, and low-income patients.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction
03:06 - Dr. Megan Durr’s Background & Journey
08:15 - Challenges Diagnosing Sleep Apnea in Women
14:55 - Long-term Effects of Sleep Apnea in Women
20:06 - Hormonal Influences on Sleep Apnea
29:56 - CPAP & Oral Devices in Women with OSA
32:21 - Positional Therapy & Surgery in Women with OSA
36:34 - Weight Loss to Combat OSA
41:04 - Countering Disparities in OSA Treatment
48:06 - Identifying & Caring For “Unseen” OSA Patients: A Team Effort

Resources

Medtronic ENT
https://www.medtronic.com/us-en/healthcare-professionals/products/ear-nose-throat.html

Dr. Durr’s UCSF Profile:
https://ohns.ucsf.edu/megan-durr

Dr. Durr’s X:
https://x.com/drmegandurr

The Materials available on BackTable are for informational and educational purposes only and are not a substitute for the professional judgment of a healthcare professional in diagnosing and treating patients. The opinions expressed by participants of the BackTable Podcast belong solely to the participants, and do not necessarily reflect the views of BackTable.

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