Nocturnal breathing disorders are a common problem and affect about 500,000 adults in Germany. Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with an elevated cardiovascular risk, whereby arterial hypertension and coronary artery disease are frequent. Furthermore, in patients with sleep apnea excessive daytime sleepiness results in a high rate of accidents in traffic and work. Nocturnal continuous positive airway pressure is an effective treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. For social insurance agencies, immense direct and indirect costs arise from the sequel and accompanying illness of untreated sleep apnea.