Acronyms

There's a lot of acronyms associated with sleep apnea. This list will contain these acronyms and their meanings. 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)

B

• Bi-Flex - Respironic's name for exhalation pressure relief for BiPAP
• BiPAP - bi-level positive airway pressure (made by Respironics)
• BPAP - bilevel positive airway pressure; not to be confused with BiPAP
• BPM - beats or breaths per minute

C

• 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)
• EMG - Electromyogram (muscle movement)
• EPAP - Expiratory (exhale) Positive Airway Pressure
• EPR - expiratory pressure relief (trade name by ResMed); Exhalation pressure relief

F

• FF - full face mask

H

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

I

• IPAP - Inspiratory (inhale) Positive Airway Pressure

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
• 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")
• 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

U

• UPPP - Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty; also known as UP3

V

• VPAP - variable positive airway pressure

X

• xPAP - any of the positive air pressure machines

External Links/Resources:

misc acronyms associated with sleepyhead software: http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/sleepyhead/index.php?title=Sleep_Disorder_Glossary

Long list of technical terms http://www.respironics.com/Glossary.asp