Who is a candidate for HST?
HST is intended for patients who present with clinical symptoms of OSA. Patients with other sleep disorders (i.e. narcolepsy, REM-behavior disorder), co-morbid conditions which may impact the diagnostic relevance of the SaO2 data such as COPD or CHF, and patients in whom you only mildly suspect sleep apnea are not candidates for HST. Patients with hypertension or diabetes ARE candidates, as are those that present with symptoms of insomnia. In fact, middle-aged women with OSA may present as sleep maintenance insomniacs – and their OSA could be made worse with hypnotics (Reference: Shepertycky et al.).
HST is intended for patients who exhibit clinical symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Patients with other sleep disorders (i.e. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), narcolepsy, REM-behavior disorder), co-morbid conditions (which may impact the diagnostic relevance of the SaO2 data such as COPD or CHF), and patients in whom you only mildly suspect sleep apnea ARE NOT candidates for HST. Patients with hypertension or diabetes ARE candidates, as are those that exhibit symptoms of insomnia. In fact, middle-aged women with OSA may present as sleep maintenance insomniacs—their OSA could be made worse with hypnotics (Reference: Shepertycky et al.).
