[Diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in internal medicine]

130 inpatients (94 males and 36 females, mean age 51.8 +/- 9.1 years) with suspected obstructive sleep apnoa (OSA) were examined clinically, were questioned and underwent night cardiorespiratory monitoring. A definite OSA diagnosis was made in 83 patients. Sleep continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was applied in 40 patients who had moderate and severe sleep respiratory impairment. The treatment was effective in 31(77%) patients who stopped snoring, improved sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. In half of the hypertensive patients elimination of apnoa lowered blood pressure without drugs in day hours. Patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency improved gas exchange. In pulmonary hypertension CPAP therapy reduced pressure in the pulmonary artery. It is concluded that diagnosis and effective individual therapy of most CPAP patients can be provided in therapeutic hospital departments.