Portable Monitoring

The diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea has been confirmed by polysomnography (PSG) for many years. PSG, however, often is considered inconvenient, expensive, and inefficient. The use of monitoring equipment that can be more portable and used in the home has been developed and frequently is used in countries outside the United States and by some federal agencies such as Veterans Administration hospitals in the United States. These portable monitors (PMs) often record fewer physiologic variables, are unattended, and can be performed in the home. It is anticipated that there will be more widespread use of portable monitors for diagnosing sleep apnea as sleep centers and insurance companies embrace this technology.