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Pneumonology Terapia 2019, 1 ( 372 ) :  40  -  42

When is snoring a disease, who needs treatment?

Summary: Snoring is the most common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and affects approximately 24% of men and 9% of women aged 30–60. However, so-called habitual snoring which is not associated with apneas is a much more common phenomenon and affects about 40% of the adult population. Snoring is a sound created as a result of vibrations of the soft structures of the upper respiratory tract and depends on several factors, which include airflow velocity, throat size and the susceptibility of its walls. Some substances, such as alcohol or hypnotics, reduce the tension of the throat muscles and increase the susceptibility of the walls of the airways, and thus clearly promote snoring. Several different methods of quantifying snoring have been described, but, unlike apneas, there is no uniformly accepted method to perform such a measurement. When snoring is a symptom of OSA, the need for treatment is unquestionable. Habitual snoring is often left untreated. However, there is currently evidence that snoring is a risk factor for arterial hypertension. In view of the above, it seems justified to treat snoring particularly in the group of people with poorly controlled hypertension. In addition, it can be very annoying to the patient’s near and dear, so when considering the need for treatment we should often consider the so-called “social indications.” The treatment of snoring is not significantly different from the treatment of OSA, and includes methods of surgical treatment and treatment with positive air pressure in the airways (CPAP).
Keywords: habitual snoring, snoring treatment, sleep apnea

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