Medical Emergencies · single question
Which of the following is used to definitively diagnose sleep apnea?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Nocturnal polysomnography (sleep study)
The definitive gold-standard diagnostic test for sleep apnea is nocturnal polysomnography (PSG), also called a sleep study. The Mallampati score screens for anatomical risk factors. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) quantifies severity but is DERIVED from the PSG — it is not itself the diagnostic test. The respiratory disturbance index is also a measure from PSG.
- A. CORRECT. Nocturnal polysomnography (sleep study) is the gold-standard diagnostic test for sleep apnea. It monitors sleep stages, airflow, oxygen saturation, EEG, and more.
- B. INCORRECT. The AHI (apnea-hypopnea index) measures the number of apnea + hypopnea events per hour. It is derived from PSG data and used to classify severity, but it is not itself the diagnostic test.
- C. INCORRECT. The respiratory disturbance index is another metric calculated from PSG data — it is a measurement, not the diagnostic test.
- D. INCORRECT. The Mallampati score assesses oropharyngeal anatomy and is a SCREENING tool to predict difficulty of intubation and risk of sleep apnea — not a diagnostic test.
Practice Medical Emergencies questions Medical Emergencies study notes