Diagnosing Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Do you think you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)? You're not alone!
Take a look at some of these statistics, based on data collected by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The numbers are pretty staggering… but CPAP Solutions Group is here to help make life comfortable again, and put you on the right path to corrective treatment.
858,900
An estimated 858,900 (3%) Canadian adults 18 years and older reported being told by a health professional that they have sleep apnea.
21%
In Canada, sleep deprivation is behind 21% of car accidents, people who sleep less than 6 hours are more likely to fall asleep when driving.
26%
Over 1 in 4 (26%) adults reported symptoms and risk factors that are associated with a high risk of having or developing OSA.
What is a Sleep Study?
If you suspect you have sleep apnea, it's essential to undergo a sleep study (polysomnography) for an accurate diagnosis, a referral is required from your family doctor to a sleep clinic.
Also called polysomnography, it's a detailed test done overnight either in a sleep center or at home using portable devices. It monitors different things while you sleep, like brain activity, heart rate, how you breathe, oxygen levels, and movements of your arms and legs. This helps doctors diagnose sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. The data collected helps healthcare professionals figure out how severe your sleep apnea is and what type it is. Based on this information, they can create a treatment plan that's right for you, aiming to improve how well you sleep and your overall health.
Screening Tools
These tools can be used to screen for sleepiness and the likelihood of having Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The tools are helpful to assist you and your family physician for a preliminary evaluation.
*Remember that Obstructive Sleep Apnea can only be diagnosed by a sleep physician.
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is used to assess your level of daytime sleepiness. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is considered the gold standard for making this evaluation.
The STOPBang Questionnaire
The STOPBang questionnaire developed by anesthesiologists at the University Health Network in Toronto, Ontario evaluates the probability of moderate to severe OSA.