About 2/3 of patients with IH report cognitive complaints (problems with thinking, reasoning, memory) and moderate to severe depression symptoms. IH is also linked with absence from work, inability to perform work duties while at work (presenteeism), and reduced ability to perform normal daily activities. These items can together reduce quality of life.1
There are several types of support for patients living with IH.2
While all patients with IH experience excessive daytime sleepiness, the presence of other symptoms vary. These can include:3
Other symptoms can include headache, increase in blood pressure when standing up, temperature imbalance, and changes in blood flow to the extremities.2 As a result, each patient needs to be supported based on their individual symptoms and considerations.
Many patients with IH present with additional medical problems (comorbidities). For example, patients with IH are more likely to have sleep apnea, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, mood disorders, and headache/migraine than non-IH individuals.4 You may be living with some of these other conditions, which also require management by your clinician.
IH can be a difficult problem in daily life for those afflicted by it. You might notice that people close to you – family, friends, teachers, coworkers, etc – may mistake sleepiness for inattention or other emotions. Voice these concerns to your clinician; guidelines for IH recommend assessing and incorporating patient preferences and values when putting together a treatment plan. Your lifestyle and the cost of treatment should also factor in to initial and follow-up treatment decisions.2
As mentioned, cardiovascular comorbid conditions are common in IH and include:1
The relationship between IH and CV risk may result from several origins:5
As a result, assessment of CV health is an important aspect of both short- and long-term management of patients with IH and symptoms of EDS.
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