I’m really pleased to present my first Guest Blog here at www.pharmascholar.co.uk

The following piece, from ‘Snorer Pharmacy’, outlines how the Pharmacist is perfectly placed to support those within the community setting. Pharmacists can apply their professionalism, and now signpost accordingly, to help those patients who suffer with snoring issues that may impact upon their daily lives.

The Pharmacist's Developing Sleep Role

Snoring? “Hahah – who cares? I don’t hear it!”

Are you joking to cover your embarrassment?

Sadly, snoring is something that is often shrugged off and trivialised. But it is anything but trivial for those that cannot sleep because of the noise.

As a pharmacist have you ever wondered how to help? And what if your patient’s snoring is a symptom of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) syndrome – would you know how to recognise the warning signs?

While sales of OTC snore cures and gadgets with little if any evidence base encourage the unwary to self-diagnose and self-treat, the snorer with untreated sleep apnoea can expect to die 20 years sooner [1] than the average lifespan, independent of age, sex and BMI.

Sleep apnoea diagnosis and treatment is available from the NHS, and it could significantly extend their healthy life.

Screening and signposting are fulfilling roles for the community pharmacist and they support the healthy living and better care agenda [2].

What risk factors can be modified?

Excess weight and obesity are key moderators of the effect of OSA on T2DM [3].

As such, lifestyle and behaviour change advice that includes (where appropriate):

weight loss
alcohol reduction/cessation
increase in exercise
smoking cessation

is helpful [4] and something well-suited to the role of the community pharmacist.

As a sleep-trained pharmacist you will be able to advise snorers in a more informed way. Once trained, you will be able to recognise OSA symptoms that merit further investigation and connect patients to NICE recommended treatment, for both anti-social snoring and sleep apnoea.

You will be able to discuss evidence-based help that may extend their healthy life.

Further information may be located at: https://snorer.com/pharmacist/

References

Finn L, Young T. Sleep Disordered Breathing and Mortality: Eighteen-Year Follow-up of the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort. Yearb Pulm Dis. 2009;2009:291-292. doi:10.1016/s8756-3452(08)79181-3
Pharmacy in England: Building on Strengths - Delivering the Future - Great Britain. Department of Health https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pharmacy-in-england-building-on-strengths-delivering-the-future
Seetho IW, O’Brien S V., Hardy KJ, Wilding JPH. Obstructive sleep apnoea in diabetes-assessment and awareness. Br J Diabetes Vasc Dis. Published online 2014. doi:10.15277/bjdvd.2014.025
Marin JM, Carrizo SJ, Vicente E, Agusti AG. Long-term cardiovascular outcomes in men with obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea with or without treatment with continuous positive airway pressure: an observational study. Lancet. 2005;365(9464):1046-1053. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(05)71141-7