The STOP-Bang Screening Tool for Sleep Apnea

Dr. John Krehlik stands out as the first board-certified sleep physician in Alaska’s Southeast region. Through his offices in Juneau and Anchorage, Dr. John Krehlik uses patient-friendly tools such as home sleep testing and the STOP-Bang screening questionnaire to evaluate cases of potential obstructive sleep apnea.

is a common yet potentially dangerous condition in which the patient’s soft palate and uvula collapse against the back of the throat during sleep, thus blocking the airway. It causes a variety of symptoms, including daytime drowsiness, morning headaches, and depression. In the long term, it can lead to such serious conditions as high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.

To help patients become more aware of potential obstructive sleep apnea, physicians have developed a screening tool known as STOP-Bang. The STOP element of the tool asks patients if they snore (S) and feel frequently tired (T). It also asks patients to reflect on whether others have observed (O) them stop breathing during sleep, as well as if they have high blood pressure (P).

The “bang” acronym refers to individual risk factors, including a high body mass index (B) and age above 50 (A). A large neck size (N), defined as 16 inches in females and 17 inches in males, also increases one’s likelihood of obstructive sleep apnea, as does a biologically male gender (G). Those with positive answers to these questions may have obstructive sleep apnea and could potentially benefit from an appointment with a sleep doctor.

Treating Sleep Apnea with CPAP

An Alaska sleep apnea specialist, Dr. John Krehlik maintains offices in Anchorage, Wasilla, and Juneau. He became the first general internist in the state to receive board certification in sleep medicine. In his treatment of sleep apnea, Dr. John Krehlik employs the latest machines for CPAP.

Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include snoring and pauses in breathing while sleeping at night and tiredness, headaches, sleepiness, and high blood pressure during the day. Obesity can also be connected to sleep apnea, as can medical conditions such as depression, heart disease, hypertension, and strokes.

Once diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, a patient has a variety of different treatment options. One of these options, CPAP, which stands for continuous positive airway pressure, treats those with moderate to severe sleep apnea. It remains the most popular treatment.

The patient undergoing CPAP treatment sleeps with a mask placed over the nose and/or the mouth. This mask provides air at a slightly higher pressure than the surrounding air, thereby keeping open the airway passages, which might otherwise close.

Sleep Apnea – Treatable after Correct Diagnosis

Board-certified in sleep medicine and internal medicine, Dr. John Krehlik provides comprehensive diagnoses and treatment of sleep disorders. Dr. John Krehlik has earned a reputation as Alaska’s top sleep physician, with expert knowledge of sleep apnea. A treatable condition, sleep apnea occurs when breathing involuntarily ceases during sleep.

Individuals with sleep apnea may stop breathing hundreds of times per night, with each instance lasting one minute or more. Without proper treatment, sleep apnea can result in serious conditions such as high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. Often, individuals with sleep apnea snore loudly during sleep and experience persistent sleepiness throughout the day. Other symptoms include waking up out of breath in the middle of the night or waking up with a dry mouth or headache in the morning. However, since patients’ symptoms vary, consulting a sleep specialist is critical to obtaining a correct diagnosis.

After diagnosis, a sleep specialist can recommend effective treatment options for individuals with sleep apnea. Positive airway pressure machines with breathing masks are one of the most common sleep apnea treatments, but other options include oral appliances and upper airway stimulation therapy.

The Benefits of Home Sleep Testing

The only board-certified sleep physician living in Southeast Alaska, Dr. John Krehlik provides high-quality sleep medicine care to patients out of his own sleep medicine practice in Anchorage. Dedicated to treating and diagnosing sleep apnea and snoring quickly, Dr. John Krehlik works closely with all health providers throughout the state to evaluate snoring symptoms through the use of home sleep testing.

Home sleep testing allows for several benefits while still providing accurate information to physicians trying to diagnose snoring and sleepiness symptoms. One benefit is comfort. Patients undergoing normal sleep testing must often sleep in a new place, and sleeping in a new bed while they are being observed makes it difficult for some patients to feel comfortable. Home sleep testing allows patients to sleep in the privacy of their own home, ensuring they do not miss out on a good night’s sleep. It also does not require patients to be hooked up to as many sensors, requiring only a small device wrapped around the chest or a sensor on the finger or nose.

Since the tests can be completed at home, patients do not have to drive far or miss work. The devices are often delivered to a patient’s doorstep and offer 24/7 technical support lines should any problems arise. Patients then simply mail back the device and wait to hear the results from their physician. Home sleep testing also decreases cost by allowing patients to save gas and avoid co-payment at the doctor’s office. Many insurance companies also pay for home sleep testing in full, whereas in-lab testing is not always covered entirely.

For more information click www.AlaskaSleepDoctor.com.