DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF SLEEP APNEA
SPLIT NIGHT SLEP STUDY or SPLIT NIGHT POLYSOMNOGRAM
The Primary Care Clinic is ordering a sleep study because you are at an increased risk of having sleep
apnea. A sleep study known as a Polysomnogram is a painless test that records your brain waves,
heartbeat, and breathing as you sleep. Sensors are placed on your head, face, chest and legs. There
are no needles involved in Polysomnography or sleep studies. The breathing monitors detect
reduction or complete cessation of air flow and changes in oxygen levels so that the diagnosis and the
severity of sleep apnea can be established. Oxygen levels are monitored by a comfortable finger clip
to note changes in the level of oxygen in your blood. You will not feel any pain during the
Polysomnogram.
Why is it called Split Night?
This means that if during the sleep study the sleep technologist detects severe sleep apnea, then
treatment with CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy may be started in the second
portion of the night.
What happens when I am scheduled for a Split Night Sleep Study?
You will be asked to come to the University Of Chicago Sleep Disorders Center located at:
150 East Huron, Suite 900, Chicago, Illinois 60611.
Enter through the Avenue Crown Plaza Hotel, and take the elevators to the 9TH Floor. Free Parking
is available at our facility and is connected to the building.
Arrival time is at 8:30PM.
You will be provided a private room with a private bathroom, shower, and TV.
You will be given free time to make yourself comfortable in your bedroom.
No other patients will be in the room with you. At some point, during the night, you will be informed
by your assigned sleep technologist, that the lights and TV will be turned off and it time for you to try
to fall asleep.
The Split Night Sleep Study or Split Night Polysomnogram is not a test that you can fail.
Nearly everyone falls asleep during the study. Most people do not sleep as well as they do at home.
This will not affect results. In most cases, you do not need to sleep for a full eight hours to find the
source of your problem.
Who reads your sleep study?
The results of your sleep study will be given to a board-certified sleep specialist who will review the
study to find out what kind of sleep problem you may have. The results will be communicated to your
primary care physician.
If a Split Night Sleep Study was ordered but it could not be performed and the sleep doctors think you
need to return for a second study. The sleep center staff can schedule you for a second night at the
Sleep Disorders Center.
CPAP EXPRESS CARE PROGRAM
If you require CPAP therapy, we will set you up in the morning and explain to you how to use CPAP
before you leave the sleep center. With CPAP Express Care, you will be seen by a sleep specialist
approximately 2-5 weeks after your study to address any problems you may have with the device.
If you have any questions please contact the Sleep Disorder Center at 773-834-5400. (M-F 8am-6pm)
WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA?
Sleep Apnea is a serious, potentially life-threaten condition that is far more common than
generally understood. Sleep Apnea occurs in all age groups and both genders. It is
estimated that as many as 12 million Americans have Sleep Apnea and the vast majority
remain undiagnosed and untreated. Early recognition and treatment of sleep apnea is
important, as severe sleep may be associated with the following:
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Increased risk of complications during and after surgery
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
Irregular heartbeat
Heart Attack
Stroke
High Blood Sugar Levels and Insulin Resistance
Excessive sleepiness increasing risk of motor vehicle accidents
Death
Who is affected by Sleep Apnea?
People most likely to have or develop sleep apnea include those who:
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Snore loudly
Are Overweight or Obese
Have High Blood Pressure
Have some physical abnormal in the nose, throat, or other parts of the upper
airway
What are the characteristics of Sleep Apnea?
Sleep Apnea is characterized by a number of involuntary breathing pauses or “apneic
events” during a single night’s sleep. It may be as many as 20 to 30 or more events per
hour. These events are almost always accompanied by snoring between apneic episodes.
It is important to note that everyone who snores has Sleep Apnea. Sleep Apnea many
also be characterized by choking sensations. The frequent interruptions of deep,
restorative sleep often lead to early morning headaches and excessive daytime sleepiness
and/or fatigue. During the apneic event, the person is unable to breathe in oxygen and to
exhale carbon dioxide, resulting in low levels of oxygen and increased levels of carbon
dioxide in the blood.
How is Sleep Apnea diagnosed?
Sleep apnea is typically diagnosed by sleep study known as a Polysomnogram, which is
typically performed in a Sleep Laboratory overnight.
How is Sleep Apnea treated?
The most successful and frequently used form of treatment is a CPAP (Continuous
Positive Airway Pressure) therapy. Successful long-term treatment of Sleep Apnea with
CPAP can reduce the risk of stroke, heart and blood pressure problems, decrease daytime
sleepiness and/or fatigue, improved blood sugar levels, and improve the quality of life.