[Sleep apnea syndrome]

Apneas during sleep are physiologic events. If they occur with some frequency and cause health problems, the disturbance is called sleep apnea syndrome. Most commonly the apneas are mainly obstructive and caused by intermittent upper airway collapse during sleep. The resultant pathophysiologic phenomena and their clinical aspects are the consequences of this. The diagnostic aspects and differential diagnosis of related disorders are discussed, and the various types of treatment are reviewed.