STOP-BANG is an 8-question screening checklist that estimates a person's risk of having obstructive sleep apnea, commonly used before surgery to flag patients who may need further evaluation.
Low risk of obstructive sleep apnea.
Intermediate risk.
High risk — refer for a sleep study.
No — it's a screening tool to identify who should be referred for a formal sleep study, which is the actual diagnostic test.
0–2 is low risk, 3–4 is intermediate risk, and 5–8 is high risk of obstructive sleep apnea.
Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apnea, Pressure (hypertension), BMI > 35, Age > 50, Neck circumference > 40 cm, and male Gender.
Undiagnosed sleep apnea raises perioperative risk, so flagging high-risk patients lets the team plan airway management and monitoring.