Diagnosis

How is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of sleep apnea begins with you recognizing which signs/symptoms you may be experiencing and how they may be affecting your daily life.

Sleep Apnea Testing

Once you’ve discussed these symptoms with your doctor and it’s determined that you may be suffering from sleep apnea, the next step is to establish or confirm a diagnosis. To monitor your sleep and breathing patterns, Vancouver Sleep Solutions can provide you with an at home sleep test.

Once we have your test results, our Registered Respiratory Therapist will assess and provide your doctor with the necessary information for a sleep apnea diagnosis.

How is my apnea measured?

There are varying degrees of sleep apnea and they are measured according to the number of times one stops breathing (apnea) or has a reduction in breathing (hypopnea) per hour of sleep. This is known as one’s AHI index (Apnea-Hypopnea Index)

AHI of 5 – 15 – Mild OSA
AHI of 15 – 30 – Moderate OSA
AHI over 30 – Severe OSA

For example. if your AHI is over 50, it means that you stop breathing every minute and wake up to breathe and drift off to sleep again. You never get the restorative sleep that is required to function normally during the day. Moreover, your body is working all night, stressing your heart.