When should I consider referring a patient with suspected obstructive sleep apnea to a specialist?

Refer a patient with suspected obstructive sleep apnoea to a specialist if they have suspected moderate or severe OSAS, or suspected mild OSAS that is impacting on their quality of life ².

Arrange urgent referral to a sleep clinic if the patient has excessive sleepiness impacting on safety-critical work, such as professional driving, or if they have comorbid conditions like COPD, poorly controlled arrhythmia, nocturnal angina, heart failure, treatment-resistant hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, or respiratory failure ².

Refer for routine investigation and management if the patient has suspected mild OSAS without safety concerns, or if they have clinical features of nasopharyngeal obstruction such as adenotonsillar hypertrophy in children ².