Questionnaire
STOP-Bang
STOP-BANG questionnaire · OSA screening questionnaire
Eight yes/no items — the most-validated screening questionnaire for obstructive sleep apnea.
What it measures
Risk of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). STOP-Bang is an eight-item dichotomous screening tool that yields a count between 0 and 8. Higher scores correlate with the apnea-hypopnea index measured on confirmatory sleep studies.
Mechanism
Why moving this marker matters
OSA causes recurrent oxygen desaturation, sympathetic arousal, and fragmented sleep — independently linked to cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation, treatment-resistant hypertension, cognitive decline, and elevated all-cause mortality when moderate-to-severe and untreated. An estimated 80%+ of cases are undiagnosed.
Guideline targets
What major guidelines recommend
Chung et al. validation (STOP-Bang ≥3)
Sensitivity ~93% for moderate-to-severe OSA, specificity ~43%.
Chung et al. validation (STOP-Bang ≥5)
Sensitivity ~52% for moderate-to-severe OSA, specificity ~85%.
How to measure
The test, where to get it, when to repeat
Method
Eight yes/no questions covering: Snoring, Tired during day, Observed apneas, blood Pressure, BMI > 35, Age > 50, Neck circumference > 40 cm, Gender (male). The user counts their own yes answers — the score is the count.
Where
Free to administer. Original publication and the validated form are publicly available.
Typical cost
Free.
Fasting
Not required
When to test
AASM 2017
Screen adults with risk factors for OSA — habitual snoring, witnessed apneas, daytime sleepiness, BMI > 35, treatment-resistant hypertension, atrial fibrillation.
ESC 2018 hypertension
Screen patients with treatment-resistant hypertension.
USPSTF 2022
Insufficient evidence for routine screening of asymptomatic adults; screening is appropriate when risk factors or symptoms are present.
Where to score
Completing this questionnaire
Self-administered — your GP or mental-health professional can confirm scoring and discuss results.
The instrument
Items shown for reference
Validated questionnaires are shown here as reference. Read each item and count your own answers — Healicus does not compute or store a score. This keeps the page on the educational side of the EU MDR line; the instrument itself remains the validated tool.
- 1
Do you Snore loudly (louder than talking or loud enough to be heard through closed doors)?
1 point if yes
- 2
Do you often feel Tired, fatigued, or sleepy during the daytime?
1 point if yes
- 3
Has anyone Observed you stop breathing during your sleep?
1 point if yes
- 4
Do you have, or are you being treated for, high blood Pressure?
1 point if yes
- 5
BMI greater than 35 kg/m²?
1 point if yes
- 6
Age over 50 years old?
1 point if yes
- 7
Neck circumference greater than 40 cm (16 inches)?
1 point if yes
- 8
Gender male?
1 point if yes
Scoring (do this yourself)
Count your yes answers. Per the validation literature: 0–2 points indicates low OSA risk; 3–4 points indicates intermediate OSA risk; 5–8 points indicates high OSA risk. A score of 3 or more is sensitive for detecting moderate-to-severe OSA. The questionnaire is a screening tool — a high score warrants confirmation with a sleep study (home sleep apnea testing or polysomnography), not a diagnosis on its own.
If you prefer an interactive calculator, the published MDCalc tool is available here ↗ — operated and maintained by a third party.
Context
Reading the numbers
Higher scores are progressively more specific but less sensitive. A score of 3 or more is the most-used clinical action threshold — sensitive enough to catch most moderate-to-severe OSA while still narrowing referral.
Caveats
Not a diagnostic tool. A high score warrants a confirmatory sleep study; a low score in a symptomatic person does not rule out OSA.
Practices
What's been shown to influence this marker
Sleep apnea screening
Program·Untreated obstructive sleep apnea drives cardiovascular and metabolic risk. Screen if you snore loudly, are tired despite enough hours, or have hypertension.
Why
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common (~10-15% of adults), often undiagnosed, and causally linked to hypertension, cardiovascular events, cognitive decline, and all-cause mortality. STOP-BANG is the most validated screening questionnaire. Diagnosis is by polysomnography or home sleep apnea testing. CPAP and other treatments substantially reduce risk in moderate-severe OSA.
The program
- 1
Take the STOP-BANG questionnaire (free online).
- 2
If 3+ positives, ask your GP for a sleep study referral.
- 3
Home sleep apnea testing or in-lab polysomnography confirms the diagnosis.
- 4
If moderate-severe, options include CPAP, mandibular advancement device, weight loss, positional therapy.
- 5
Re-screen if sleep quality degrades again after weight or lifestyle change.
Practical
Cadence
One-time screening; re-test if symptoms return
What you'll need
STOP-BANG questionnaire (online, 8 yes/no questions)
Ideal for
Loud snorers, witnessed apneas, daytime fatigue despite adequate sleep duration, hypertension, large neck circumference, BMI ≥35.
Markers this may influence
Evidence
Take to your physician
Worth discussing
- If you scored 3 or more, whether a home sleep apnea test or in-lab polysomnography is appropriate.
- How your weight, blood pressure, and sleep symptoms inform overall risk assessment.
- If you have treatment-resistant hypertension or atrial fibrillation, whether OSA workup is indicated regardless of STOP-Bang score.
Sources
Cited literature
- [1]Chung et al., STOP questionnaire: a tool to screen patients for obstructive sleep apnea(2008)
- [2]Chung et al., High STOP-Bang score indicates a high probability of obstructive sleep apnoea(2012)
- [3]Kapur et al., AASM clinical practice guideline for diagnostic testing for adult OSA(2017)
- [4]ESC/ESH 2018 Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension(2018)
- [5]USPSTF 2022 — Screening for obstructive sleep apnea in adults(2022)
Edited by Carl Pöhl, MD · Healicus editorial
Last reviewed May 2026
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