IFM | From Hypertension to Hypopneas: Bringing Obstructive Sleep Apnea Management into Primary Care Practice

In this special episode of the Inside Family Medicine podcast, brought to you by Resmed, host Darren Sextro talks with family physician James Bigham, MD, MPH, FAAFP about how he has successfully integrated sleep health and OSA management into his practice. He discusses the well-established connection between OSA and hypertension and explains how screening and treatment can become a natural part of chronic disease management.

The conversation highlights the barriers he's faced in practice, from uncertainty around role ownership to patient hesitation, and the practical solutions he's implemented to make sleep and OSA care more feasible in primary care settings. The discussion covers the importance of early diagnosis and therapy referrals as well as outlines effective workflow strategies for primary care teams.

Topics by Timestamp

00:00 – Welcome and episode overview

02:14 – Dr. Bigham's path to family medicine

03:15 – How OSA became part of primary care

05:59 – Early barriers to OSA management

09:37 – Barriers colleagues face in primary care

12:07 – Practical ways to integrate obstructive sleep apnea care

14:07 – Improving patient engagement in evaluation and treatment

17:38 – Working with sleep medicine and cardiology

20:16 – Impact on patients and practice

25:56 – First steps for family physicians and care teams

29:00 – Closing and resources

Additional resources for your team include:

OSA in primary care: a practical clinical guide from Resmed

Explore practical tools and guidance to help primary care teams identify patients at risk for OSA, support evaluation and navigate treatment conversations.

Resources from the American Academy of Family Physicians:

Cardiometabolic health for family physicians | AAFP

Find clinical guidance, educational resources and patient-centered tools for managing hypertension, diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease and related conditions.

This episode is brought to you by Resmed.

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