Sleep Medicine and Organizations

Study Notes

Provides standardized criteria for scoring sleep stages and events in polysomnography (PSG) to ensure consistency and accuracy in sleep study interpretations.

BRPT (Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists): Provides RPSGT (Registered Polysomnographic Technologist) examination, a certification for sleep technologists.
AASM (American Academy of Sleep Medicine): Sets standards for sleep medicine, accredits sleep centers, and provides guidelines for sleep study scoring.
AAST (American Association of Sleep Technologists): Focuses on education and professional development of sleep technologists.

Refers to the speed at which paper (or digital equivalent) moves through polysomnograph machine, typically measured in mm/sec.
Common speeds are 10 mm/sec or 30 mm/sec.

PSG (Polysomnography): Comprehensive diagnostic tool for sleep disorders that records brain waves, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and breathing.
CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) Titration: Used to determine optimal pressure needed to keep airways open in patients with sleep apnea.
MSLT (Multiple Sleep Latency Test): Measures how quickly a person falls asleep in a quiet environment during the day, consisting of 5 naps.
MWT (Maintenance of Wakefulness Test): Assesses ability to stay awake in a conducive environment, consisting of 4 trials.
HSAT (Home Sleep Apnea Test): Simplified test performed at home to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.

Measurement method used to place EEG electrodes on scalp based on relative distances between landmarks on the head.
Sites include Fp1, Fp2, F3, F4, C3, C4, P3, P4, O1, O2, etc.

Practices that promote regular, restful sleep, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, creating a comfortable sleep environment, and avoiding caffeine and electronics before bed.

Berlin Questionnaire: Identifies patients at risk for obstructive sleep apnea based on categories like snoring, fatigue, and hypertension.
Epworth Sleepiness Scale: Measures a person's general level of daytime sleepiness on a scale from 0 to 24.

Performed before and after a sleep study to ensure proper functioning of equipment.
Exercises include eye movements, muscle tone changes, and breathing exercises to verify sensors are accurately recording physiological signals.

Alpha: 8-13 Hz, associated with relaxed wakefulness.
Beta: 13-30 Hz, associated with active wakefulness and alertness.
Theta: 4-7 Hz, seen in light sleep stages (N1 and N2).
Delta: 0.5-4 Hz, seen in deep sleep (N3).
Sleep Spindles: 11-16 Hz, brief bursts of activity seen in stage N2 sleep.
K Complex: Sharp negative wave followed by a positive component, seen in stage N2 sleep.

N1: Light sleep, slow eye movements, theta waves.
N2: Deeper sleep, sleep spindles, and K complexes.
N3: Deep sleep, delta waves.
REM (Rapid Eye Movement): Active brain patterns, rapid eye movements, and muscle atonia.

Time from sleep onset to the first epoch of REM sleep, typically 90-120 minutes.

Capnograph, CO2 Monitoring: Measures end-tidal CO2 to assess ventilation and respiratory effort in children during sleep studies.

Accurate and detailed recording of patient information, study parameters, and observations during a sleep study, following legal and ethical guidelines.