Assessment of snorers in primary care: straight path to treatment

Habitual snoring needs to be taken seriously, both as a symptom of other sleep disorders and as a condition in its own right. GPs approached by patients with problematic snoring face a dilemma regarding whether (and to which service) those patients should be referred for a specialist opinion. Using the Sparks Chart, snoring patients can be grouped according to the two symptomatic dimensions of excessive daytime sleepiness and nocturnal hypoxaemia. We believe that the approach outlined in this article offers GPs a coherent and pragmatic guideline for referring and/or managing problematic snoring by using a simple questionnaire and pulse oximetry. The method has the potential to improve primary and secondary liaison. Most importantly, it offers patients a straight path to treatment.