Name two diagnostic tools used to confirm obstructive sleep apnea.

• A. Oximetry alone
• B. Polysomnography (PSG) in-lab sleep study and home sleep apnea testing (HSAT).
• C. Actigraphy combined with ESS
• D. Overnight EEG only

Answer: (B)

Diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea relies on objective sleep studies that confirm repeated breathing disturbances during sleep. The most definitive approach is in-lab polysomnography, which records multiple signals overnight—brain activity, eye movements, muscle tone, heart rhythm, airflow, respiratory effort, and oxygen saturation. This comprehensive study identifies apnea and hypopnea events, shows sleep stages, and distinguishes obstructive from central events, making it the standard reference test.

When the clinical picture strongly suggests OSA and there aren’t complicating factors, a home sleep apnea test can be used. This portable study monitors key parameters—airflow, respiratory effort, and oxygen saturation (often with a pulse oximeter and sometimes a snoring sensor). It’s more convenient and cost-effective and works well for confirming moderate to severe OSA, but it provides less detail about sleep stages and arousals and is less capable of distinguishing central from obstructive events in all cases.

In short, these two tests—polysomnography in the lab and home sleep apnea testing—are the primary tools to confirm obstructive sleep apnea, chosen based on clinical context and resource availability.