A consultation, including a thorough sleep history and physical exam, is often the first step to diagnosing any sleep disorder including OSA.  If it is determined you need a more detailed assessment, your primary care physician may refer you for an overnight sleep study (polysomnogram). This test records the patient's brainwaves, heartbeat, respiratory effort, airflow, eye movement, blood oxygen levels and breathing during an entire night. Sleep apnea is easily diagnosed and must not be ignored.

Terminology :

• Apnea- defined as a decrease in airflow (breathing) of more than 80% for 10 seconds or longer.
• Hypopnea - is an abnormal respiratory event lasting 10 seconds or more with at least a 30% reduction in aiflow, 4% oxygen desaturation and an arousal (brief awakening)
• RERA (Respiratory Effort Related Arousal)- is an abnormal respiratory event associated with an arousal that does not meet the definition of a hypopnea
• AHI (Apnea-Hypopnea Index)- is the number of apneas plus hypopneas per hour of sleep.
• RDI (Respiratory Disturbance Index )- average number of apneas plus hypopneas plus RERAs combined per hour of sleep.
• UARS- Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome - This condition lies midway between benign snoring and true OSA. People with UARS suffer many of the symptoms of OSA but sleep testing results lack evidence demonstrating true apneas or oxygen desaturation.

Severity of Apnea Defined By:

• Length of time of apnea event.
• Percentage of oxygen desaturation.
• Complete or partial stoppage of breathing.
• 5-15events per hour = Mild OSA.
• 15-30 events per hour=Moderate OSA.
• 30 or more events per hour=Severe OSA.

NOTE: Many different factors contribute to the diagnosis of OSA. The above range is only a general breakdown. Other parameters such as lowest oxygen level obtained and length of apnea episodes during the sleep testing procedure effect the final diagnosis of this disorder.