In the face of the rapid developments in sleep medicine, this book seeks to present the current knowledge in the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of sleep apnea. New physiological approaches to modeling sleep and recent pathophysiologic findings in upper airway mechanics as well as the importance of inflammatory and oxidative processes and the underlying genetic aspects are discussed to open up new avenues of investigation for better understanding and improved therapeutic options. Besides the well-known CPAP therapy, chapters describe novel therapeutic methods that are currently under investigation and highlight their future prospects, limitations as well as recommendations for practice. The influence of breathing disturbances on the cardiovascular system during sleep is significant. Reviews of central sleep apnea and of cardiovascular complications of sleep-disordered breathing therefore play an important role in this edition. Some of the chapters are dedicated to specific aspects in children, in the elderly and in pregnancy and receive special attention as sleep apnea is relevant to all ages. The excellent contributions to this volume will be stimulating reading to pneumologists, sleep and ENT specialists, neurologists, dental surgeons, cardiologists, obstetricians, general practitioners as well as public health specialists.