Treatment options for sleep apnoea

Sleep apnoea (SA) is a common sleep disorder affecting 4 to 25% of the adul t population. The most common form, obstructive SA, is characterised by rec urrent upper airway obstruction during sleep associated with sleep disrupti on and hypoxaemia. There is increasing evidence that SA leads to impaired v igilance, quality of life, driving accidents and probably represents a vasc ular disease risk factor. Currently, the most effective treatments are aime d at increasing upper airway space by either air pressure [(continuous posi tive airway pressure (CPAP)], upper airway surgery or oral appliances. CPAP is the main treatment modality for moderate to severe SA but noncompliance approaches 50% in clinic populations. A number of pharmacological agents h ave been used in SA but at this stage, none an indicated in moderate to sev ere SA.