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Video FAQ – What Is a Home Sleep Test?
Home Testing for OSA and How It Works
In video number six of this series, Dr. Popper discusses home testing devices for obstructive sleep apnea and how they work. This video series is designed to answer your questions regarding sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. If don't find an answer to your question here, please come back soon as we're always adding new videos. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel to be alerted when a new FAQ video is posted. If you need information quickly, feel free to contact us here on the site or on our Facebook Page. We'll get back to you as quickly as possible.
What Is a Home Sleep Test and How Does It Work?
A home sleep test is a portable device that can be used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in an appropriate patient in the comfort of their own home. This device usually measures four parameters of sleep; respiratory effort, by attaching a belt across the chest and the abdomen to demonstrate efforts to breath; there's usually a cannula-type device that has probes inside the nostrils and above the lip to measure airflow or air pressure; and a pulse oximeter, which is a clip that fits over the fingernail bed and measures both oxygen and heart rate.
This device is useful in patients who have a high clinical index of suspicion for having obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and have no co-morbid clinical conditions such as chronic heart or lung disorders or chronic brain disorders.
A positive home sleep test confirms the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. However, if a patient who has a high clinical suspicion for obstructive sleep apnea has a negative home sleep test, they should be referred to a sleep center for an in-lab complete polysomnographic evaluation to confirm or refute that diagnosis.
Dr. Ronald A. Popper is a Board Certified sleep specialist. The Southern California Pulmonary and Sleep Disorders Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, California, is a four bed, state of the art, fully accredited sleep disorders center. Dr. Popper is available at (805) 557-9930 to answer any questions you have regarding diagnosis and treatment of all sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, restless limb syndrome, insomnia, narcolepsy, and others.
Watch the video above, and then Click Here to schedule an appointment with Dr. Popper if you feel you exhibit symptoms of sleep apnea or other sleep disorders.
