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Rebecca Voelker

JAMA. 1999;281:1480.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

When should physicians use such diagnostic techniques as polysomnography, and how should they appropriately define apnea?

These are just two clinical questions concerning treatment of adult obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that are addressed in new guidelines published last month in CHEST, the journal of the American College of Chest Physicians. The guidelines focus on various forms of positive airway pressure used in the treatment of OSA, which affects an estimated 20 million Americans.

Continuous positive airway pressure, in which patients wear a mask during sleep to force pressure from an air compressor through the nasal passages, is considered the most effective treatment for OSA. However, about 40% of patients find it difficult to use for long periods. Bilevel positive airway pressure, which follows natural breathing patterns, is often more comfortable.

A panel of experts who wrote the guidelines said they hoped to offer a common sense approach . . . [Full Text of this Article]