Researchers from the West Virginia University (WVU), as part of their sleep medicine program, created a novel two-tier screening process for patients with sleep-disordered breathing which exacerbates conditions such as obesity, stroke, COPD and heart failure. The study suggested that sleep disordered breathing has a high prevalence rate among  hospitalized patients with congestive heart failure or COPD, as high as 50-70 percent. The predictive value of their questionnaire was found to be over 90%, which was confirmed using pulse-oximeter readings. The program’s outcome, to be published in the journal CHEST, along with further studies are expected to help provide national-level guidance and recommendations.