Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) diagnosis: Sleep study

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) - Diagnosis

How is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) diagnosed?

Consult your physician if you have loud snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness despite getting enough sleep. Your physician will evaluate the possible causes and advise on the appropriate management.

You may be referred to a sleep disorders clinic for a comprehensive evaluation of your problem.

Evaluation of obstructive sleep apnoea includes:

Thorough sleep history
Physical examination and sleep study.
Good history consisting of sleep patterns and presence of any snoring or day time sleepiness.
Examination of the airway via an endoscope to assess for any narrowing of the airway.
Evaluation usually involves an overnight sleep study.

Given the possible long-term complications of obstructive sleep apnoea, it is important for you to follow-up with appropriate treatment once diagnosed.

The management of obstructive sleep apnoea is multidisciplinary in nature, and may involve specialists from medical specialties such as otolaryngology and respiratory medicine to dental specialties such as oral and maxillofacial surgery and orthodontics.

What is a sleep study?

A sleep study or inpatient overnight diagnostic polysomnography (PSG) is an overnight non-invasive diagnostic test performed in a sleep laboratory.

The PSG monitors the different stages of sleep, breathing effort, oxygen levels, heart rhythm and muscle activity during sleep. The severity of OSA can also be determined.

The portable home sleep test (HST) provides a convenient alternative to the inpatient PSG and can be performed in the comfort of your own bedroom. However, the HST may not be suitable for everyone, and the choice of which test to use should be made in consultation with your sleep physician. If the HST results are inconclusive or negative, further evaluation with an inpatient PSG would be necessary.