[Sleep Apnea and Mechanical Ventilation - Impact on Clinical Course and Perioperative Management]

There is a high prevalence of sleep related breathing disorders in critical ill patients and in perioperative settings. Nevertheless, less is known about their impact on clinical course and therapeutic strategies in this context. Intensive care physicians should be aware of difficult airway, weaning- and post-extubation failure and negative impact of SRBD on hemodynamics. Sedatives and analgetics might worsen SRBD and their use should be restricted as far as possible, furthermore the use of NIV might be beneficial. However, there is a lack of evidence with regard to this strategies.