Obstructive sleep apnoea in Auckland: diagnosis and treatment.

In 1982 facilities for investigation of patients with sleep disorders were established at Auckland Hospital on a trial basis. Twenty patients with the obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome had been investigated and treated by the end of 1983. All were advised to avoid alcohol and sedatives and the obese patients were encouraged to lose weight. In the more severely affected patients either nasal continuous positive airway pressure or tracheostomy was used. The method of diagnosis and treatment are discussed.