Definition - What does Split Night mean?
A split night is an automatic function of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices that facilitates the titration (adjustment) process by delivering proportional oxygen to the lungs at a pressure setting that equalizes inhalation and exhalation in patients with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A split night study is a format of polysomnography that consists of examining a patient’s biorhythms for half the night followed by gradual CPAP titration as a means to gauge appropriate pressurization to deter apneas and hypopneas by maintaining an open airway.
SureHire explains Split Night
A sleep physician coordinates an effective treatment plan with a sleep technologist after reviewing biofeedback from the split night study, correlating CPAP titration measurements and, in some cases, home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) levels with baseline metrics in confirming breathing abnormalities. Positive airway pressure (PAP) devices with split night mode or adjustable titration settings are preferable to some patients with sleep apnea issues as they adapt the pressure rate to a grade consistent with normal breathing patterns. Mask fitting and introduction to the CPAP unit and titration process, usually calibrated at a low setting that corresponds to actual testing values, prepares the individual for the split night study experience.
A split night study is beneficial in expediting the diagnosis and treatment application in a single night in contrast with consecutive overnight stays at a sleep center facility. A sleep technologist administers PAP therapy to determine if a CPAP machine featuring split night mode is necessary, in particular, for patients with mild sleep apnea who do not meet the criteria. In the workplace, sleep apnea contributes to chronic fatigue, cognitive impairments, and excessive daytime sleepiness, escalating the incident rate for accidents and injuries.
Because sleep apnea carries detrimental health effects, a referral to a sleep physician can help determine the right treatment in which CPAP therapeutic intervention is the most viable solution.
