[Snoring--when is etiological assessment necessary?]

Snoring is more than a social problem. Snoring is a sound produced by the vibrating structures of the upper airway. If clinical signs like sleepiness, fatigue, hypertension or vascular disease are present or if a surgical procedure for the treatment of snoring is considered, further investigations (respiratory polygraphy or full nocturnal polysomnography) should be performed. If sleep apnea is demonstrated, non-surgical approaches may be more promising.