Case report: obstructive sleep apnea--an air safety risk.

Aviation safety reports indicate that many incidents are related to fatigue. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by irregular snoring with repeated apnea episodes during sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness. Deprived of sleep, patients suffer from daytime sleepiness and involuntary sleep attacks. The prevalence of OSA among adult men is more than one percent, 0.5% in women. Predisposed are men aged 40-65 yr. Many patients, including pilots, are unaware of their sleeping disturbance and the symptoms are not easily recognized. Therefore, this condition may not be discovered during a regular health examination. However, this condition can be effectively treated. In our opinion, pilots suffering from OSA do not necessarily have to lose their certificate. Diagnosis and treatment can be conducted, followed by regular check-ups. We suggest that questions about sleep be included in pilots' health examinations.