Sleep apnea is estimated to affect over 18 million Americans, but many of them go undiagnosed. The typical procedure to diagnose sleep apnea is to do an overnight sleep study at a specialized sleep study center. Due to many reasons, which include lack of insurance coverage, fear of participating in the standard sleep study and cost, large numbers of people do not undergo a sleep study.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the professional medical society dedicated to sleep medicine, has now approved a portable test for use in diagnosing sleep apnea as an alternative to polysomnography (diagnostic sleep test).
The home sleep test uses a portable monitoring system that includes a small recording device, sensors, belts, cables and related accessories. The device is worn while the wearer is sleeping in bed. The data is then analysed by a sleep specialist who will make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan.
The AASM recommends the sleep apnea home test only for adults between the ages of 18 and 65 who have been assessed by a doctor as being at risk for sleep apnea.
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