The STOP-Bang assessment or questionnaire was instituted in 2008 by Dr. Frances Chung for anesthetics as a pre-operative assessment tool for people who have undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea. For More Information:https://www.sleepcareonline.com/product/home-sleep-apnea-testing/

1. What Is A Stop-Bang Assessment?
The STOP-Bang assessment or questionnaire was instituted in 2008 by Dr. Frances Chung for anesthetics
as a pre-operative assessment tool for people who have undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea. This
questionnaire contains eight yes/no questions developed to hit on each of the major risk factors for
obstructive sleep apnea. STOP-Bang is the abbreviation of these symptoms and risk factor first letters
which are associated with obstructive sleep apnea:
● Snoring - If you snore loudly or so that your partner cannot sleep, then this can be a sign that
you have sleep apnea.
● Tiredness - If you fall asleep while doing your daily tasks such as driving or reading, you may
have sleep apnea.
● Observed Apnea - While sleeping if you have stopped breathing or choke for air, then you may
have sleep apnea.
● Pressure - Another main symptom of sleep apnea is high blood pressure.
● BMI - If you have a body mass index higher than 35 then you may have moderate to severe
OSA.
● Age - If your age is above 50 years then you are at higher risk of having sleep apnea.
● Neck Circumference - If your neck circumference is more than 16 inches then you have a high
risk factor for sleep apnea.
● Gender - Males are more prone to have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) than females.
When The STOP-Bang Assessment Is Used?
The STOP-Bang assessment is used by doctors if they think that the patient has a risk of sleep apnea. It
helps the doctors decide whether the patient will need a polysomnography (or home sleep test) or not.
It was first developed as a screening tool for OSA but now it is used in a wide range of patients and as a
sleep screening tool it is accepted in sleep clinics.
People who are suffering from sleep apnea have a high risk of complications, so the screening tool is
needed before any surgical situation. Before undergoing any surgery this assessment will help the
anesthesiologist and medical staff know if the patient has OSA, so that they can take extra care. People
who go through weight loss surgery (approximately 70% of them) have sleep apnea.
What Is The Next Step After The STOP-Bang Assessment?
After finishing the assessment the score will show whether the patient has a high or low risk for sleep
apnea. People who are thought to be at high risk for sleep problems should be evaluated immediately.

2. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can cause both short and long-term consequences, such as fatigue, daily
headaches, inability to focus or concentrate, neurological, cardiovascular, and endocrine comorbidities if
left untreated. If the patient has high risk of sleep apnea then a next step should be to buy the complete
care package and arrange a telehealth consult with a board certified doctor to know if the patient is
eligible for a sleep apnea test at-home.