STOP-BANG Questionnaire

The STOP-BANG questionnaire is a validated screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It has high sensitivity (93-96% for moderate-severe OSA) and is recommended by the American Society of Anesthesiologists for preoperative screening.

S - Do you Snore loudly? (loud enough to be heard through closed doors) *

Loud snoring reported by bed partner or family.

T - Do you often feel Tired, fatigued, or sleepy during daytime? *

Daytime sleepiness or fatigue.

O - Has anyone Observed you stop breathing during your sleep? *

Witnessed apneas.

P - Do you have or are you being treated for high blood Pressure? *

Hypertension diagnosed or on treatment.

B - BMI more than 35 kg/m2? *

Obesity is a major risk factor for OSA.

A - Age over 50 years? *

OSA prevalence increases with age.

N - Neck circumference greater than 16 inches / 40 cm? *

Thick neck circumference correlates with upper airway narrowing.

G - Gender: Male? *

Males have higher OSA prevalence than females.

Select all applicable criteria and click Calculate

References

STOP-BANG Questionnaire - MDCalc — MDCalc (2025)
STOP-Bang Questionnaire: A Practical Approach to Screen for Obstructive Sleep Apnea — CHEST / PMC (2016)

Clinical Notes & Warnings

STOP-BANG is a screening tool, not diagnostic.
High sensitivity but lower specificity (~50% at score >=3).
Many patients with OSA may score low; clinical judgment essential.
In perioperative settings, score >=3 warrants enhanced monitoring.
Does not distinguish OSA severity; polysomnography needed for AHI/RDI.

A score >=3 has sensitivity of 93% and 100% for moderate and severe OSA respectively. Specificity is ~50% at this cutoff. For preoperative screening, many guidelines use >=3 as threshold for further evaluation. At >=5, specificity improves to ~70%.