To effectively diagnose and treat sleep apnea, an overnight sleep test must be performed. During the test, respiration and oxygen levels are monitored. Good indicators that sleep apnea is occurring are disruptions in breathing or drops in the person’s oxygen levels numerous times during the sleep cycle.
Home Sleep Tests are small, portable testing devices that make accurate sleep study testing possible in the comfort of the patient’s own home. An at home testing unit is strapped around the patient’s chest , with only a nasal canula placed around the head and pulse oximeter attached to a finger. This easy to use device is worn overnight, generating the data needed to diagnose sleep apnea. It's not as comprehensive as an in-lab attended study, but for some patients, it's a good start. Usually our sleep physician can discuss this and sometimes it's left up to what your insurance policy will cover