Sleep Apnoea

Must not donate.

If

• The donor’s symptoms are well controlled with lifestyle change and/or treatment, and
• The donor reports no daytime sleepiness (and there is no restriction on activities such as driving), and
• No underlying cause for sleep apnoea has been identified which would preclude donation,

accept.

Central Nervous System Disease 
Donor Weight
Surgery

Sleep Apnoea can lead to daytime sleepiness, difficulty in concentration and an increased risk of accidents. Not everyone with sleep apnoea will require treatment. Corrective measures that can improve symptoms include: 

• weight loss 
• the use of gum shield 
• smoking and alcohol reduction/cessation 
• sleep hygiene 

​Surgery may be required for some individuals e.g. tonsillectomy, uvuloplasty, mandibular surgery, or nasal septum surgery.
 
Some individuals may use CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and BiPAP (Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure) Ventilation devices while sleeping. These use a close-fitting mask to deliver pressurised air to the lungs through the respiratory cycle as treatment for Sleep Apnoea.

The guidelines have been revised to allow acceptance of donors whose symptoms are well controlled regardless of the treatment used.

If you wish to obtain more information regarding a personal medical issue please contact your National Help Line.

Please do not contact this web site for personal medical queries, as we are not in a position to provide individual answers.