Sleep apnea testing

Sleep Apnea occurs in all age groups and both sexes but is more common in men and overweight individuals. Sleep Apnea often resolves or improves significantly after weight loss surgery.

If you have been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea you will want to include that information in your packet for your insurance company and to your surgeon.

There are two types of sleep apnea: central and obstructive. Central sleep apnea, which is less common, occurs when the brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the breathing muscles to initiate respirations. Obstructive sleep apnea is far more common and occurs when air cannot flow into or out of the person's nose or mouth although efforts to breathe continue.

Your physician may order tests to determine if you have Sleep Apnea.

Polysomnography:

Polysomnography is a test that records a variety of body functions during sleep, such as the electrical activity of the brain, eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, respiratory effort, air flow, and blood oxygen levels. These tests are used both to diagnose sleep apnea and to determine its severity.

The Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT):

The Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) measures the speed of falling asleep. In this test, patients are given several opportunities to fall asleep during the course of a day when they would normally be awake. For each opportunity, time to fall asleep is measured. People without sleep problems usually take an average of 10 to 20 minutes to fall asleep. Individuals who fall asleep in less than 5 minutes are likely to require some type of treatment for sleep disorders. The MSLT may be useful to measure the degree of excessive daytime sleepiness and to rule out other types of sleep disorders.

Diagnostic tests usually are performed in a sleep disorders center, but new technology may allow some sleep studies to be conducted in the patient's home. If you have been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea or have had tests run, it is imperative that you let your surgeon and your insurance company know this.

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