Do I have Sleep Apnea? – Screening Questionnaire

This sleep apnea screener features the STOP BANG questionnaire to help you gauge your risk for sleep apnea. Get a pen and paper ready to note down your answers to each question. Talk to your doctor about your results.

STOP BANG (Answer yes or no for each question)

S (snore) – Do you snore?
T (tired) -You wake up feeling tired Or feel fatigued during the day.?
O (obstruction) – You stop breathing & gasp for air nights?
P (pressure) – Do you have high blood pressure?
SCORE: If you checked YES to TWO or more questions on the STOP portion you are at risk for OSA.

STOP BANG (Answer yes or no for each question)

B (BMI) – Is your body mass index greater than 28? *Calculate HERE*
A (age) – Are you 50 years old or older?
N (neck) – Check neck size if greater than 17 for male &  16 inches for female?
G (gender) – Are you a male?
SCORE: If you checked YES to TWO or more questions on the STOP portion you are at risk for OSA.

STOP BANG (Answer yes or no for each question)

Neglecting sleep apnea can have severe consequences, leading to a range of serious health issues. These include hypertension, which puts strain on the heart, increasing the risk of heart disease and strokes. There’s also a significant impact on brain health, with memory and cognitive functions often affected. Moreover, sleep apnea can impair alertness and reaction times, making activities like driving more hazardous and increasing the likelihood of accidents.

With the incidence of sleep apnea rising, early detection becomes increasingly critical. The most accurate diagnostic tool is an overnight test known as polysomnography. This study monitors various body functions during sleep, such as brain activity, eye movements, heart rate, and breathing patterns. However, the cost and availability of polysomnography can be prohibitive, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment.

To address this challenge, medical professionals have developed quick and accessible screening tools, like the STOP-Bang questionnaire. Originally designed for pre-surgical assessments, it’s now utilized widely across various patient groups. This questionnaire is straightforward, consisting of eight questions that cover symptoms such as the frequency and loudness of snoring, feelings of tiredness, observed instances of breathing cessation during sleep, and personal attributes like blood pressure, age, neck circumference, and body mass index.

Scores range from 0 to 8, based on ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers to these questions. A score of three or more indicates a high risk of sleep apnea, signaling the need for further investigation and possibly a polysomnography test. The questionnaire’s simplicity and effectiveness have led to its adaptation in multiple languages, including Turkish, making it a valuable tool for identifying at-risk individuals globally.

This approach empowers patients and healthcare providers to prioritize those who need urgent evaluation, potentially expediting the diagnosis and treatment process for those most in need.