- #SHOULD I HAVE A SLEEP STUDY DONE HOW TO#
- #SHOULD I HAVE A SLEEP STUDY DONE DRIVERS#
If you have any questions or concerns about any health issue please call me (31) and I will take the time to talk to you on the phone, even if you are not coming to my office for your physical.ĭOT Physical Exams in Bridgeton, Missouriįiled Under: DOT Medical Requirements, FMCSA Regulations, Medical Conditions, Sleep Apnea About Trucker Docs™ The fact is, most health problems will not prevent you from passing a DOT physical, as long as you are treating the health problem.
#SHOULD I HAVE A SLEEP STUDY DONE DRIVERS#
Driver has a Mallampati Score of 3 or 4.īest practice recommendations for drivers that have had a prior sleep study:Ī second sleep study is recommended if the driver has developed additional risk factors since the first study was done, or the driver has had a 10% increase in weight.Īs always I am here to help and I truly care about the safety and wellbeing of every driver. Driver has one or more of the following disease:. Neck Size of 16” or greater for a female. Neck size of 17” or greater for a male. If the driver has none of the above symptoms but they have multiple risk factors for sleep apnea, it is recommended that the driver be tested for sleep apnea. Here is a list of those risk factors: 
The driver reports that he snores loudly (snoring is heard thru a wall or door). Driver states that someone has observed the driver stop breathing while sleeping. Driver has been involved in a sleep-related accident. Driver complains of consistent daytime sleepiness or fatigue. If the driver has one of the following 4 symptoms it is recommended that driver be tested for sleep apnea: Here are the “best practice” guidelines that are recommended: The FMCSA states that DOT medical examiners should follow “best practice” guidelines when evaluating a driver for sleep apnea and ordering a sleep study. So here is the information a driver needs to know regarding if you need a sleep study or not: You have options! Discuss them with your doctor or contact us for more information.Drivers who come in to my office for a DOT physical exam often ask: “Why do I need a sleep study? DOT doesn’t require it.” You and your doctor may decide that you should start in the lab or try to complete the diagnosis and titration in one night in the lab (referred to as a split or 50/50). While there are many benefits to selecting an unattended sleep study, not all insurance providers cover the cost and they do not provide as comprehensive an evaluation as their in-lab counterparts so be sure to talk to your doctor to figure out which sleep study option works best for you.Īdditionally, you may still need to come into the sleep lab either for further investigation of your symptoms (remember, the HST can only diagnose sleep apnea), to titrate you with a PAP device or because the HST device just didn’t work for you. In the morning, you will remove the sensors and return the sleep equipment to the sleep center where the physician will read and analyze the information collected. 
While wearing the device, you can move around in bed and even get up to use the restroom. You will be asked to use the device for one night. Isabel demonstrates the Resmed Apnealink in the picture at the top of this post.Ī home sleep testing device consists of sensors that record information about breathing, heart rate, breathing effort and airflow while you sleep. There are several different manufacturers of home sleep testing equipment.
#SHOULD I HAVE A SLEEP STUDY DONE HOW TO#
The sleep technologist will instruct you on how to use the equipment in the kit. The process of completing an unattended sleep study begins by picking up a device at the sleep clinic. Home sleep studies cannot be performed on children and cannot diagnose any other sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder or narcolepsy. Because of this, they will only be recommended by a doctor if it is highly likely that the patient has moderate to severe sleep apnea, and if the patient has no other significant medical issues such as pulmonary diseases, neuromuscular disease or congestive heart failure. Home sleep tests, or unattended sleep studies are used exclusively to diagnose or rule out obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Many physicians and health plans prefer this option to in-lab sleep studies because they are more convenient for patients are typically less expensive than sleep studies conducted in a sleep center or hospital. Rather than spend the night in a sleep center to determine whether or not you have a sleep disorder, unattended home sleep testing, or HST, in growing in popularity. What is Unattended Home Sleep Testing (HST)?
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