Idiopathic Hypersomnia

Excerpt

Idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) is a rare chronic sleep disorder introduced by Bedrich Roth in Prague in 1956. Idiopathic hypersomnia is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, uncontrollable need to sleep with long unrefreshing naps, and difficulty waking up from sleep in most instances despite average or longer amounts of nocturnal sleep for at least three months.

Idiopathic hypersomnia is considered a disorder of neurological origin, classified as a central disorder of hypersomnolence; others include narcolepsy, type 1 and type 2, and Kleine-Levin syndrome. The condition's pathophysiology is poorly understood, making diagnosing and managing to challenge for clinicians. This article will review etiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and the treatment of IH in adults.