Sleep Disorders

Classification of sleep events

Sudden irresistible sleep attack

Explicitly stated that event was sudden and irresistible, or description of event is as such that suddenness and irresistibility can be concluded—for example, patient fell into her dish while eating

Definite sleep attack

Suddenness and irresistibility of event is explicitly confirmed by reliable sources—for example, trained medical staff or objective relative not under psychological stress

Probable sleep attack

Suddenness and irresistibility of event is explicitly confirmed by sources with questionable reliability—for example, relative under psychological stress who was involved in car crash due to sleep attack

Possible sleep attack

Suddenness and irresistibility of event not confirmed by sources other than patient or account of confirming source not given

Sleep episode

Not sudden but irresistible onset of daytime sleep, particularly waves of sleepiness with sufficient prodrome to counteract mishaps

Sleep event not otherwise specified

“Sleep attack” or “sleep event” used in publication without explicit details on irresistibility or suddenness and without information on source reliability.

International Classification of Sleep Disorders

A production of several professional sleep societies around the world, the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD) has since its introduction in 1990 gained wide acceptance as a tool for clinical practice and research in sleep disorders medicine. It was revised in 1997 and a second issue was published in 2005.

Summary of the Internatinal Classification of Sleep Disorders.