Is a 2 hr sleep study sufficient - newbie here

[jta]

I just recently had a split study. After 2 hrs the tech came in and put a mask on me. Then a few days later I get a call from a DME company that says the Dr. that is the head of the sleep study whom I've never met ordered a cpap machine for me. (I had my primary Dr. set the sleep study up) So far no one has called me to review the sleep study . My question is is 2 hrs enough to come up with a diagnosis?

[jules]

short answer - to determine you have OSA - YES

[GumbyCT]

I just recently had a split study. After 2 hrs the tech came in and put a mask on me. Then a few days later I get a call from a DME company that says the Dr. that is the head of the sleep study whom I've never met ordered a cpap machine for me. (I had my primary Dr. set the sleep study up) So far no one has called me to review the sleep study . My question is is 2 hrs enough to come up with a diagnosis?

Two hours of diagnosis is the minimum time required by Medicare. So I would say yea.

That is more than My 1st sleep lab knew or did. In 2 nights they didn't do 2 hrs. go figure.
Many Ins. Co.'s also require this min.

Split study is prob the best way to go. Well unless you like sleeping in their beds?

It's not unusual to never see the doc who did the Dx. You should request a written copy of the sleep study AND prescription for your records.

ps. if no one has yet replied to your duplicate post you 'can' delete it. Just have to click the 'X' while logged IN. Jules has OCD and it drives her batty.

[elena88]

When I went in for my sleep study, I asked what is the shortest amount of time I needed to sleep, and the doctor said two hours, and I asked
did it all have to be together? She said no.. Well, I only slept for 66 minutes, and at the follow up appt to discuss my "results" I was handed an apap
machine right then and there to do a one week titration at home.. I think the 2 hour minimum was for insurance purposes, but I guess in the end it
didnt matter in my case.

I hope you get some information, and that you arent kept in the dark that long, the waiting and wondering is very hard.

[kteague]

Just want to mention that while 2 hours may be a minimum standard, someone really could be diagnosed with OSA in even less time, though the severity might not be fully determined. It's when a person is found negative for OSA that a short time period would be questioned in my mind. Can anyone tell me if that 2 hour standard is considered enough to declare someone to NOT have OSA?

[Nord]

Usually they do a Split Study when they pretty much know that you are a candidate for OSA...

My split was 150 minutes time long and less than 2 hours of actual sleep time. You need to look at their data to see if it makes sense based on what you already know.

Nord

[brain_cloud]

Split night studies would guarantee an inadequate titration for people like me who have more apneas and need higher pressures in the first half of the night than the second. I'm not sure how common that sort of case is, though.

[finchy]

Split night studies are good study to have, if it works than thats one less study. usually can get the diagnoses and titration in one night, depending on quality of sleep, and severity. To rule out OSA there is no real baseline for it, if criteria are not met than you are free and clear. For mild OSA usually cant be diagnosed until REM stage of aleep is reached. If this happens too late in the morning, usually that means returning to the lab for another dedicated titration.
Most diagnoses requires AHI 15 and 30 events. So if this is reached in an hr usually thay will apply CPAP than.

[park_ridge_dave]

I had a split study. I was asleep for about 3 hours when the tech woke me and said she was going to fit me for a mask. She did and I went back to sleep for another 4 hours. (OBTW the BEST sleep I had had in years!)

One thing about my sleep center, you don't get a sleep study until you have been examined by the sleep Doctor. He did an extensive survey (symptoms, sleep patterns, etc.), a physical exam (ENT), then they scheduled my sleep study. The sleep study center won't talk to you without the doctors approved order for it (the study).

I would have thought that this is SOP?? I guess YMMV?

Cheers,

Dave

[jta]

Hi Dave, not in this case. I suspected that I had sleep apnea and asked my primary Dr. to set it up. I finally called the sleep clinic and told them I would be picking up my report from them tomorrow. Haven't heard from my primary nor the sleep Dr that read the report and then sent in a prescription to a dme who in turn called me. So, guess it depends on the sleep study clinic.