These guidelines are from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and actually aren’t all that clear or helpful.
I recommend reviewing the articles in the post Some Very Good Resources For Understanding Sleep Apnea. They are much clearer and easier to understand then the Clinical Guideline below.
What follows are some excerpts from Clinical Guideline for the Evaluation, Management, and Long-term Care of Obstructive Sleep Apnea In Adults J Clin Sleep Med. 2009 Jun 15;5(3):263-76:
