ABSTRACT
Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome refers to the condition of complete or partial airway obstruction during sleep which disrupts sleep architecture. It also results in excessive daytime somnolence (EDS). Snoring is noisy breathing during sleep and represents partial airway obstruction. If loud enough, snoring can disrupt sleep architecture. Nasal dilators may decrease upper airway resistance. Intra- and extra-nasal dilators only help a few select patients with nasal airway issues. Nasopharyngeal airways have limited utility because of poor tolerance. Studies have shown that refusal rates for prescribed continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy range from 58% to 80%. Objective evaluation for compliance shows that only 40% of patients use nasal CPAP for at least 4 hours for seven nights out of ten. Poor compliance can usually be attributed to intolerance of the device. Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome have airways which can present challenges to intubation.
