Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome: Chapter 4- The burden of obesity hypoventilation syndrome

The prevalence of obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is likely to increase given the increased prevalence of morbid obesity in the United States and other countries. The goal of this chapter is to discuss the prevalence of OHS and its risk factors. OHS is an underrecognized disorder with adverse outcomes on quality of life, healthcare costs, and hospitalizations. Patients with OHS have significant morbidity and mortality if left untreated and early diagnosis and treatment can lead to significant improvement in patient outcomes.