What tests are used to diagnose sleep apnea?

Answer 1

Obstructive sleep apnea affects 18 million people and is more common among overweight males over age 40. But it has been known to affect otherwise healthy men, women and children of any age group. If you are frequently tired upon waking and throughout the day or if you have trouble staying asleep at night, ask yourself these questions:

• Have I been told that I snore or stop breathing during sleep?
• Do I wake up throughout the night or constantly turn from side to side?
• Have I been told that my legs or arms jerk while I'm sleeping?
• Do I make abrupt snorting noises during sleep?
• Do I feel tired or fall asleep during the day?

If you answered "yes" to any or all of these questions, you could have sleep apnea, and it is important that you discuss such symptoms with your doctor.

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Answer 2

Typically, your doctor would arrange for a sleep study, which involves wearing sensors (a nasal cannula to detect airflow, a chest movement sensor and a blood pressure/pulse sensor on the finger) for one night. The results are analyzed and given to your doctor, who will then refer you to a sleep therapist if this is indicated.

Answer 3

A sleep study is the primary examination used to diagnose sleep apnea. The sleep study, polysonmography, is usually done in a sleep center, sometimes in a hospital. First, your doctor will probably perform a physical examination, which will include taking your history. If your history includes being sleepy in the daytime, or someone observing you having problems breathing as you sleep at night, a sleep study would likely be ordered by your physician. Your doctor would also perform blood pressure examination as well as blood work before ordering the sleep study.

Answer 4

polysomnography.