PATIENT INFORMATION
Obstructive sleep apnoea
Sleep apnoea matters because sedatives, anaesthetic medicines and opioid painkillers can worsen airway obstruction and breathing after a procedure. Tell the team if you have diagnosed sleep apnoea, use CPAP/BiPAP, snore loudly, or have witnessed pauses in breathing during sleep.
Some clinics use a screening questionnaire such as STOP-Bang to identify patients who may be at increased risk. A high screening score does not by itself diagnose sleep apnoea; it helps guide planning and, in selected cases, further assessment.