ABSTRACT
Since the mid-1970s there has been growing recognition that sleep in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be far from a period of rest and recuperation, but rather a time of considerable challenge and stress that may play a central role in the natural progression of the disease. The objective of this chapter is to describe the breathing disturbances that may occur during sleep in patients with COPD, to speculate on their pathophysiology and clinical consequences, and to clarify the role of sleep studies in the clinical management of patients with COPD.
