The recently completed
“Guidelines for the Assessment and
Management of Patients with
Sleep Disorders” were
launched by the Minister for Health and
Children, Ms. Mary Harney
TD, on Monday February 1,
2010 in the Royal College of Physicians,
Kildare Street, Dublin.
Approximately 80 invited
guests were in attendance with
representation from the Department
of Health and Children,
Hospitals, Sleep Laboratories, and Clinical
Specialists in sleep
disorders. Other interested
stakeholders such as the Road Safety
Authority were also
represented and
representatives from television, radio and
print media were also present.
The President of the Irish
Sleep Society, Prof. Walter McNicholas from
St. Vincent’s
University Hospital
introduced the event and gave an
overview of
sleep disorders with a
particular emphasis on
obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), which
represents the most frequent
sleep disorders treated in
Irish sleep clinics. He emphasised that
sleep disorders affect most
people at some stage in
life.
Disorders such as OSA affect up to
100,000 people in Ireland and
represent an important
factor in premature deaths from heart
disease and stroke. Furthermore,
the daytime sleepiness
associated with OSA is a major contributing
factor to road traffic
accidents. Yet, the
condition is treatable by continuous
positive airway pressure (CPAP).
Prof. McNicholas stressed
that the objective of the guidelines is to
facilitate the development
of sleep disorders’
investigation and treatment facilities in
accordance with best practice
standards, and the
initiative has been strongly supported by
patient support groups such as the
Irish Sleep Apnoea Trust
(ISAT). The implementation of the guidelines
represents an
important component of a
National Strategy for sleep disorders.
Mr. Dan Smyth of ISAT spoke
next and strongly endorsed the guidelines on
behalf of his
association. He commented on
the inadequate clinical and funding
resources provided to Irish
patients with sleep
disorders, particularly those with OSA.
While ISAT has about 2,500
members, the great majority
of Irish OSA patients remain undiagnosed.
The Minister then addressed
the group and complimented the Society on
the quality and
professional appearance of
the Guidelines document. In launching the
guidelines, she
commented that the document
was presented in a user-friendly and easily
readable format.
She also expressed the hope
that the guidelines would be made available
to the widest
possible readership,
including general practitioners, other
healthcare professionals, and the
general public. Minister
Harney also expressed support for the need
to diagnose and treat
patients with sleep
disorders.
In closing the formal part
of the meeting, Prof. McNicholas indicated
that the guidelines
document would be made
available on the Society website (
