[Sleep-related breathing disorders--an interdisciplinary topic in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education]

Sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) include several disorders gradually developing from simple and loud snoring through upper airway resistance syndrome and sleep apnoea up to the Pickwickian syndrome. They are manifestant as a respiratory distress and apnoeic episodes, desaturation of oxygen in the blood and interruption of sleep. These symptoms are demonstrated in a case of a patient with the Pickwickian syndrome. SRBD may result in severe secondary life-threatening cardiovascular complications (nocturnal arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, stroke and pulmonary oedema). They may contribute also to the development of important disorders of public health such as hypertension, obesity, and traffic accidents resulting from hypersomnolence and fatigue. (Tab. 1, Fig. 3, Ref. 46.)