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INTRODUCTION: The use of opioids in the United States has had an exponential growth over that past decade. In 2001, Teichtahl described a high prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing, predominately central apneas, among patients in a methadone maintenance program. 1 However, to date, there is little information on the mechanisms responsible for central sleep apnea in patients receiving chronic opiates. In October 2002, the US Food and Drug Administration approved buprenorphine-naloxone sublingual tablets as a treatment option in opioid dependence. Because of its low risk of respiratory depression and abuse, buprenorphine-naloxone is available as a Schedule III controlled medication. 2 We describe a patient taking buprenorphine-naloxone found to have a significant amount of central sleep apnea episodes.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 30 year-old man who was referred to our …