ABOHNS Sleep Medicine study guide
ABOHNS Sleep Medicine · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The ABOHNS Sleep Medicine subspecialty certification is a credential for otolaryngologists-head and neck surgeons who wish to demonstrate advanced knowledge in sleep medicine as it applies to their specialty. It is intended for practicing surgeons who evaluate and manage sleep-disordered breathing, especially obstructive sleep apnea, and related conditions in both adults and children. The ABOHNS Sleep Medicine study guide has 11 sections and about 2,562 words.
01Normal Sleep and Sleep-Wake Regulation
Normal sleep is organized into N1, N2, N3 (slow-wave sleep) and REM, cycling roughly every 90 minutes, with N3 front-loaded and REM back-loaded across the night. Sleep-onset latency under 30 minutes, sleep efficiency above 85%, and a normal adult total sleep time of 7-9 hours frame the healthy baseline.
289 words, about 1 min02Sleep Evaluation and Diagnostic Testing
In-lab PSG records EEG, EOG, EMG, ECG, airflow, respiratory effort, oxygen saturation, and body position. Scoring follows AASM rules: hypopnea requires a 30% or greater drop in airflow with 3% desaturation or an arousal; apnea requires 90% or greater airflow reduction for at least 10 seconds.
262 words, about 1 min03Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults
OSA results from recurrent upper airway collapse during sleep, driven by anatomic narrowing, reduced pharyngeal muscle tone, and impaired arousal. Risk factors include obesity, male sex, age, craniofacial features, and menopause.
242 words, about 1 min04Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children
Pediatric OSA differs from adult disease. Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is the dominant cause, and obesity is a risk factor but not required.
246 words, about 1 min05Central Sleep Apnea and Hypoventilation Syndromes
Central sleep apnea (CSA) reflects absent respiratory effort. Causes include Cheyne-Stokes respiration in heart failure, opioid use, high-altitude exposure, and idiopathic central apnea.
247 words, about 1 min06Insomnia and Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders
Insomnia is difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or early awakening, with daytime consequences despite adequate opportunity for sleep. It is diagnosed clinically; PSG is not routine.
220 words, about 1 min07Hypersomnias of Central Origin and Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy type 1 features cataplexy and hypocretin deficiency; type 2 lacks cataplexy. Classic tetrad: excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis.
205 words, about 1 min08Parasomnias and Sleep-Related Movement Disorders
NREM parasomnias (sleepwalking, sleep terrors, confusional arousals) arise from slow-wave sleep, often in the first third of the night, with amnesia for the event. REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) involves dream enactment with loss of REM atonia, typically later in the night, and is associated with neurodegenerative disease.
227 words, about 1 min09Sleep and Medical/Psychiatric Comorbidity
Sleep and medical illness interact in both directions. OSA worsens hypertension, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and stroke risk; treatment may improve control.
211 words, about 1 min10Surgical and Non-Surgical Management of Sleep Disorders
Positive airway pressure is first-line for moderate-severe OSA. Mandibular advancement devices suit mild-moderate OSA or PAP intolerance.
188 words, under 1 min11Sleep in Otolaryngology Practice: Anatomy, Perioperative Care, and Practice Management
Key sites of collapse include the nasal valve, palate/retropalatal region, tongue base, and epiglottis. The Muller maneuver and drug-induced sleep endoscopy assess collapse patterns.
225 words, about 1 min