Background:
Obesity is associated with sleep problems and use of sleep medications. Intentional weight loss is known to improve a range of sleep problems, but its effect on use of sleep medications is unknown. We aim to examine the change in use of hypnotics/sedatives in two obese cohorts; one undergoing gastric bypass surgery, and the other intensive lifestyle modification.
Methods:
Obese adults who underwent gastric bypass surgery or initiated intensive lifestyle modification between 2007 and 2012 were identified through the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry and a Swedish commercial weight loss database, respectively. The two cohorts were matched on body mass index (BMI), age, sex, education, history of hypnotics/sedatives use, and treatment year (surgery n=20,626; lifestyle n=11,973; 77% women, mean age 41 years, mean BMI 41kg/m2). The proportion of participants with filled hypnotics/sedatives prescriptions, and the mean annual treatment dose (Defined Daily Doses (DDDs)), were compared yearly for 3 years.
Results:
In the matched treatment cohorts, 4% had filled prescriptions for hypnotics/sedatives during the year before treatment. At 1 year follow-up, following an average weight loss of 37kg and 18kg in the surgery and intensive lifestyle cohorts respectively, this proportion had increased to 7% in the surgery cohort but remained at 4% in the intensive lifestyle cohort (risk ratio 1.7, 95%CI 1.4-2.1), at 2 years 11% vs 5% (risk ratio 2.0, 95%CI 1.7-2.4), and at 3 years, 14% vs 6% (risk ratio 2.2, 95%CI 1.9-2.6). Among individuals with filled hypnotics/sedatives prescriptions prior to treatment, the mean annual treatment dose increased more in the surgery than the intensive lifestyle cohort (114 vs 67 DDDs during year 3; mean difference 57 DDDs; 95%CI 39-75).
Conclusions:
Gastric bypass surgery was associated with increased use of hypnotics/sedatives compared to intensive lifestyle modification. Use of sleep medications after gastric bypass surgery needs to be closely monitored.