Sleep apnea screening
Sleep apnea is a serious disorder that causes you to stop and start breathing repeatedly while you’re sleeping. If your partner complains about you snoring loudly and you’re waking up feeling tired, you may have sleep apnea and be at risk for other health problems. We’ll explain what you need to know and what signs to look for.
Insurance and pricing
Most insurance accepted. Check your coverage or estimate the cost of your visit if you’re uninsured or prefer to pay out-of-pocket.
Need help with sleep apnea? We’ll cover the basics of screening and treatment.
What is obstructive sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common and serious sleep disorder that causes you to slow down or stop breathing during sleep. Your airway repeatedly becomes blocked. This limits the amount of oxygen that reaches your lungs and puts stress on your heart and body. OSA can be controlled, which may reduce health risks.
Getting help
Your MinuteClinic provider is trained to evaluate patients for signs of sleep apnea. If the information you provide suggests sleep apnea, your MinuteClinic practitioner will recommend follow-up care with your primary care provider or a specialist.
1. You will answer a few questions about symptoms to help us prepare for your visit prior to scheduling your appointment.
2. Check-in varies depending on how you scheduled your appointment:
If you made your appointment online:
Check in using the email or text message we sent to confirm your appointment. If you prefer to check in using the electronic kiosk, make sure you have your confirmation code.
If you made your appointment in the clinic:
Sign in at the electronic kiosk.
3. When it's time for your appointment, a provider will call your name.
4. Your provider will conduct a thorough examination based on your reason for visit, presenting symptoms and health history. Charges will be based on examination and services provided during the visit.
5. At the end of your visit, you are provided with a visit summary, receipt and educational material about your diagnosis. At your request, we can send your primary care provider information about your visit.
Sleep apnea causes, symptoms, dangers and diagnosis
There are two types of sleep apnea, meaning two potential causes:
- Most people are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): Obstructive sleep apnea is a physical condition that occurs when the soft tissues of the upper airway relax during sleep. The narrowing of the airways obstructs breathing and lowers blood oxygen levels.
- Central sleep apnea is less common: With central sleep apnea, the condition is neurological. The brain fails to send essential signals to the muscles that control breathing. Central sleep apnea affects less than 10% of patients evaluated for the disorder.
Sleep apnea symptoms can affect men, women and children at any age, including infants. However, current research shows that the condition affects two to three times more men than women. If you're female, your risk of developing sleep apnea increases after menopause. Other risk factors include:
- Enlarged adenoids or tonsils
- Family history of OSA
- Hormonal disorders and cardiovascular disease
- Large neck circumference
- Use of sedatives, alcohol or tobacco
- Structural anomalies that narrow the upper airway
- Weight gain and obesity
Untreated sleep apnea can cause serious complications. If you think you have sleep apnea, a MinuteClinic® provider can suggest the next steps. Treatment can help reduce or stop sleep apnea.
One of the biggest dangers of sleep apnea is the potential for heart problems. When your breathing stops, there’s less oxygen in your blood. This may increase blood pressure and put a strain on your cardiovascular system. Over time, the stress can cause heart damage, arrhythmia, stroke and heart failure.
Sleep apnea also disrupts your sleep and can make you drowsy during the day. If you're not alert, you're at risk of causing accidents when driving or operating machinery.
A sleep apnea diagnosis requires a sleep apnea test, a sleep study. A conventional sleep study requires an overnight stay in a sleep lab or an objective evaluation with a home sleep apnea test.
A home sleep test (HST) is a simplified version of a sleep study conducted in a sleep lab. A small tube beneath your nose evaluates airflow, a band across your chest measures breathing and a monitor on your finger tracks blood oxygen levels.
The data from the HST is collected, uploaded and analyzed. An HST is a convenient, cost-effective alternative for diagnosing moderate to severe sleep apnea in the comfort of your own bed. MinuteClinic® does not currently offer HSTs.
Sleep apnea treatment
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is approved to treat sleep apnea. The constant even flow of air helps keep oxygen pathways open.
IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ: This material is for reference only and should not be used to determine treatment for specific medical conditions. Please visit a health care provider for evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of any symptoms you may be experiencing. If you're experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911 or visit your local emergency department.
REFERENCES USED AS SOURCES FOR THIS PAGE:
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1. Sleep Apnea via Mayo Clinic. (Accessed 3rd January 2024)
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2. Sleep Apnea via Sleep Foundation. (Accessed 3rd January 2024)
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3. Snored to death: The symptoms and dangers of untreated sleep apnea via Harvard Health Publishing. (Accessed 3rd January 2024)
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4. Obstructive Sleep Apnea via Healthline. (Accessed 3rd January 2024)
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5. What to Know About an At-Home Sleep Test via John Hopkins Medicine. (Accessed 3rd January 2024)
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6. Gender differences in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a clinical study of 1166 patients via ScienceDirect. (Accessed 3rd January 2024)
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7. Sleep Apnea: Diagnosis and Tests via Cleveland Clinic. (Accessed 3rd January 2024)
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8. Obstructive Sleep Apnea via Sleep Apnea.org. (Accessed 3rd January 2024)
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9. Obstructive sleep apnea via Mayo Clinic. (Accessed 14th February 2024)