Acronyms

There's a lot of acronyms and abbreviations associated with sleep apnea. The purpose of this list is to assist users in understanding the "alphabet soup" as well as understand the difference between similar terms (such as Bi-Flex and BiPAP and Bi-Level).

Alphabetical

A

• A-Flex - Respironics' name for exhalation pressure relief for their APAP
• AHI / A/HI - apnea hypopnea index
• AI - apnea index
• APAP - automatic positive airway pressure (also called Auto-CPAP, AutoPAP, AutoCPAP)
• ASV - Adaptive Servo Ventilator

B

• Bi-Flex - Respironic's name for exhalation pressure relief for BiPAP
• BiPAP - bilevel positive airway pressure (Respironics' brand of bilevel)
• BPAP - bilevel positive airway pressure
• BPM - beats or breaths per minute

C

• CAI - Central Apnea Index
• C-Flex - Respironic's name for exhalation pressure relief for CPAP
• cm / cmH2O - centimeters; unit of pressure used by xPAP machines; centimeter of water
• CO2 - carbon dioxide (not to be confused with carbon monoxide)
• COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• CPAP - continuous positive airway pressure
• CSA - central sleep apnea

D

• DME - durable medical equipment; distributor of durable medical equipment; the same as HME (durable means non-disposable like xPAP machines)

E

• EDS - excessive daytime sleepiness; somnolence
• EEG - Electroencephalography (brain waves)
• EERS - Enhanced Expiratory Rebreathing Space (EERS)
• EMG - Electromyogram (muscle movement)
• EPAP - Expiratory (exhale) Positive Airway Pressure
• EPR - expiratory pressure relief (trade name by ResMed); Exhalation pressure relief

F

• FFM - full face mask mask

H

• HI - hypopnea index
• HME - home durable medical equipment; same as DME

I

• IPAP - Inspiratory (inhale) Positive Airway Pressure

L

• LL - Large Leak; a leak larger than the machine can compensate

N

• N-CPAP - nasal continuous airway pressure
• NREM - Non-rapid eye movement sleep

O

• O2 - oxygen
• OSA - obstructive sleep apnea

P

• PAP - positive airway pressure
• PB - Periodic breathing (note: this acronym exists predominantly within SleepyHead only)
• PLMD - periodic limb movement disorder (body twitches during sleep, usually as the brain tries to wake you up to breathe)
• PLM - periodic limb movement (used on sleep reports with a number for how many occurred; part of the "arousal index")
• PS - pressure support; the difference in provided pressure between inspiration and expiration
• PSG - Polysomnography (sleep test)

R

• RDI - respiratory disturbance index (not the same as AHI)
• REM - rapid eye movement (dream state sleep stage)
• RERA - Respiratory Effort-Related Arousals
• RLS - restless leg syndrome ("twitchy" legs during the day, often preventing sleep)
• RT / RRT - registered respiratory therapist

S

• SA - sleep apnea
• SH - SleepyHead software

U

• UAI - Unidentified Apnea Events
• UPPP - Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty; also known as UP3

V

• VPAP - variable positive airway pressure (Resmed's brand of bilevel)
• VS - Vibratory Snore (note: this acronym exists predominantly within SleepyHead only)

X

• xPAP - any of the positive airway pressure machines

By Group

Machines and machine related

• SW - Displays the current software version.
• BID - Displays the boot loader ID.
• VID - Displays the variant ID.
• RID - Displays the regional variant ID.
• HID - Displays the humidifier software ID.

External Links/Resources:

Misc acronyms associated with SleepyHead software: http://sleepyhead.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?title=Glossary

Sleep study key terms http://www.ucmc150.uchicago.edu/sleep/terms.html

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