Take-Home Sleep Studies
Diagnosing sleep-disordered breathing in your own bed.
What it is
A home sleep apnea test (HSAT) is a simplified, FDA-cleared diagnostic study that records breathing patterns, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and body position during a normal night of sleep at home. It produces an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), the standard measurement of how many times per hour breathing pauses or significantly decreases during sleep. An AHI of 5 to 14 is mild sleep apnea, 15 to 29 is moderate, and 30 or higher is severe.
Why we do it
An estimated 80 percent of adults with obstructive sleep apnea are undiagnosed. The reason is access: traditional in-lab studies require a night in a sleep center, are expensive, and involve a long wait. Untreated sleep apnea is associated with high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, and a measurable increase in all-cause mortality. A home test removes friction from the diagnostic process so treatment can begin earlier. It also lets us re-test after treatment to verify the result objectively.
What happens during the procedure
After a brief in-office training visit, the patient takes home a small recording device. The device uses a finger pulse oximeter, a chest belt, a nasal cannula, and (in some systems) a peripheral arterial tone sensor. The patient wears the device for one to three consecutive nights, then returns it. A board-certified sleep physician reviews the data and issues a report, which is then discussed with the patient at a follow-up visit.
Who it’s for
Adults with snoring, witnessed pauses in breathing, daytime fatigue, morning headaches, high blood pressure resistant to medication, or any other suspicion of sleep-disordered breathing. Also patients who have had airway surgery or appliance therapy and want objective verification of the result. Not appropriate for patients with significant heart, lung, or neuromuscular disease, who are referred for a full in-lab study instead.
Recovery and what to expect
None. The device is non-invasive.