The apnea hypopnea index (AHI), equivalent though different from Respiratory Disturbance Index (or RDI), is a measurement standard employed to assess the number of times they stop breathing (apnea) as well as the number of times their sleep is interrupted (hypopnea) during rest hours. The term "apnea" comes from the Greek prefix "a" ("without") and "pneein" ("to breathe"). The apnea measured in the Apnea-Hypopnea Index, then, are instances in time that the person sleeps "without breathing." Generally, the individual's breathing stops around ten seconds or even longer. "Hypopnea" derives from the Greek words "hypo" ("below") and "pneein" (breathing). The term hypopnea describes those whose breathing is "below breathing" during the night time (indicating moments of sleep disturbance).

Apnea hypopnea is different from apnea in that hypopnea concerns shallow breathing while apnea relates to the absence of breathing. A person with sleep apnea could possibly die if their breathing ceases for an unusual amount of time during the night. This could occur because of the cutoff of oxygen to the lungs and throat. The AHI is conducted for patients who possess all the symptoms indicative of sleep apnea.

This person had 70 events during 8 hours of sleeping, for an AHI of 8.75, or 9. "9" fits the mild category, because the mild category is classified as anywhere from 5-15 sleeping events.

The person in question has an AHI of 30, which classifies him or her as a borderline (if not baseline) severe apnea-hypopnea patient, since the moderate classification goes up to 30 and the severe classification is 30 and above. This person certainly needs sleep treatment in order to avoid death by sleep apnea. This is not the most serious case, however: since the severe index may go above 30, an individual can have an AHI index of "42" and be in a worse state than the individual who registers "30" on the AHI.

Sleep apnea and sleep hypopnea have both been discussed; how to calculate the AHI index has been discussed. However, what about the relevance of the numbers? The AHI numbers signify an underlying medical problem. If someone registers a "30" on the AHI scale, for instance, he or she most likely has some physical symptoms they have largely ignored, perhaps unbeknownst to them.

The person with sleep apnea snores frequently, and loudly. Next, the sleep apnea patient suffers from memory problems. He or she falls short of memory recall and concentration on easy tasks. Next, sleep apnea patients experience restless sleep. Usually, they will toss and turn in their sleep, several times a night to find a very comfortable place to rest-though they do not find it. Headaches are common: sleep apnea patients experience headaches either during their sleep or after they wake up in the morning. Lastly, sleep apnea patients experience personality changes. They may become more irritable all of a sudden, or less friendly than normal, etc. Watch for major personality changes, as this could be a sign that the person is not getting enough rest.

The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is a key used by doctors to assess the level of apnea-hypopnea sleeping disorder a person has. Apneas are the number of times any person stops breathing during the rest, while hypopneas are the number of times a person has shallow breathing when sleeping. In case you calculate your AHI index and find that you have a rather moderate to a severe case, you must talk with your doctor right away to see what treatment options are available. You never know: assessing your AHI index just might save your life.

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