Sleep related breathing disorders (SRBD) impair quality of live, morbidity and mortality of affected patients seriously. Moreover, due to their high prevalence, they have a huge impact on health care systems and national economics. The members of the German Respiratory Society, the German Society of Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine, the Association of Pneumological Clinics and the Association of Pneumologists focus strongly on the diagnosis and treatment of SRBD in their daily work. Prevailing developments in the provision of patients with SRBD, have strong impact on the quality of diagnosis and treatment, on the supply of devices, on the follow-up care and on the role and duties of the physician. Therefore, the societies estimate it essential, to publish this common position paper based on the evaluation and discussion of the scientific literature, the clinical practice and a consensus process of an expert group which is published in more detail (Randerath et al., Pneumologie 2/2014, Somnologie 1/2014).
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