ESS
Medical abbreviation · Respiratory
| Stands for | Epworth Sleepiness Scale |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
ESS stands for Epworth Sleepiness Scale, a respiratory abbreviation.
Eight-item questionnaire in which people rate their chance of dozing in situations such as reading, watching TV, sitting in traffic or after lunch, each scored 0 to 3, for a total of 0 to 24. Scores above 10 indicate excessive daytime sleepiness.
Example: ESS 16/24 with loud snoring and witnessed apneas; sleep study ordered.
Usage notes
Created by Australian physician Murray Johns and published in 1991, named after the Epworth Hospital in Melbourne where he worked. It is free, quick and widely used to screen for sleepiness and to track response to treatment, but it measures self-reported tendency to fall asleep, not sleep apnea itself. Driving regulators in some countries consider it alongside other information.
Related abbreviations
More respiratory abbreviations
- CSR – Cheyne-Stokes respiration
- CTEPH – Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension
- DIB – Difficulty in breathing
- DLCO – Diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide
- EBUS – Endobronchial ultrasound
- EIB – Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction
- FeNO – Fractional exhaled nitric oxide
- FEV1 – Forced expiratory volume in 1 second
- FEV1/FVC – Ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second to forced vital capacity
- FiO2 – Fraction of inspired oxygen
- FRC – Functional residual capacity
- FVC – Forced vital capacity
See all 109 respiratory abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.