Kind of late on this post but hopefully this will help you. The above post is correct on incidents per hour, meaning you stopped breathing or went apneic 108 times per hour. your oxygen level is measured in % but normal % for oxygen is usually 95 to 100. With no incident's (stop breathing) a person who's blood oxygen level goes below 88% qualifies for nighttime oxygen use. With incidents depending on how many and how low your oxygen goes, you will get either cpap or bipap which is just a constant air pressure to keep the soft tissues from closing off your airways and causing periods of apnea. Now as far as the ekg is concerned, the ekg during your sleep study is only a 3 lead rythm which shows the basic rythm of your hear, thought the blockages may show on this they may not. A stress test is generally done with a 12 lead (8 wires hooked to you) shows a more complex electrical picture of the heart. As far as it being normal or ignored is up to your doc. I am a respiratory therapist so if you have anymore questions, just let me know, if I don't know the answer i'm sure i know somebody who will. Eric

This is so amazing to me. I got the call back today from the pulmonary specialist saying that he will call in new orders for my Bi-PAP pressure levels. New levels are 9/5! The day of surgery my pressures were 21/17 LIFE IS GOOD!!

I don't know anything about EKG's but here's what's goin on with the sleep apnea... When they say you had 108 incidents per hour, they are saying that you stopped breathing 108 times per hour. When you stop breathing your body tends to wake itself up enough for you to start breathing again, then you fall back asleep and it starts all over again with you not breathing, waking up, etc. The oxygen level has to do with how long you stop breathing before you wake up, I'm pretty sure that since they measure it in percentages, you should normally be at 100%. Although 82% doesn't sound too bad when you think about it in terms of school grades or something but we're talking about how much oxygen your brain is getting, and it needs to be at 100%. If there is anything you don't understand be sure to question the lab techs when you go back for the next sleep test. Lia

apnea is the name for the stoppage of breathing...obstructed is the why. In my case, excess tissues, maybe looser (hate that aging) "collapse" and narrow the airway when sleeping. The positive air pressure created by a cpap machine keeps the airway open and makes it easier for you to breathe... When I was first diagnosed, I was pizzed that the cpap was prescribed...I thought surgery was the answer. BUT I LOVE my cpap and can't...and WONT sleep without it. I literally felt 10 years younger within a week, and I got most of my short term memory back. Having said all that...my daughter (adopted, so no geneological tie) had obstructive apnea diag at age 7. Hers was found to be enlarged tonsills and adenoids, had surgery, problem gone! Bottom line, ask the doc again for answers, and maybe a second opinion too. (I'm pre-op, so I don't know if my apnea will go away with weight loss...but I don't really care, the cpap has been THAT great) Best of luck!

I was diagnosed with sevear (sp?)Obstructed sleep apnea, what is the difference between sleep apnea and Obstructed sleep apnea?? or is there a difference? thanks Paula