ABSTRACT
A condition found most often in overweight men, in whom the pharynx collapses at night, causing obstruction of the upper airway. In mild cases this causes snoring, but in more severe cases the respiratory muscles become fatigued, and the patient develops pulmonary hypertension and respiratory failure associated with daytime somnolence. A characteristic feature is respiratory failure with relatively normal daytime lung function (see
lung function tests
). Treatment is by weight loss or by surgical revision of the uvula and soft palate.
