With more than 80 different sleep disorders that can limit a person’s quality of life and result in poor health, the need for sleep studies is on the rise. The Columbus Community Hospital Sleep Lab, which opened in June of 2008, has assisted hundreds of patients get back to feeling refreshed and living a healthy life.
Receiving a sleep study starts with a referral from a physician after reviewing a patient’s symptoms. Symptoms that may warrant a sleep study include: loud snoring, periods of not breathing (apnea), daytime fatigue, daytime hypersomnia, morning headaches, limited attention, memory loss, patients who suffer from congestive heart failure, and patients who have suffered from a stroke.
During a standard sleep study, the patient arrives around 8 p.m. and checks in at the registration desk. The patient then receives a brief orientation/review of what will happen during the test.
A standard split night test is performed. This entails up to four hours of diagnostic information and the remainder of the test is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).
The 16-channel sleep study includes monitoring of the brain waves, eye movements, breathing flow and breathing effort. The patient wears a snore microphone and electrodes on their legs to monitor leg movement. Pulse Oximetry is also monitored.
Once the patient is “hooked up” the sleep tech completes a few bio-calibrations to make sure everything is functioning properly. The patient is then encouraged to relax, read, or watch television until they go to sleep.
“They are there for the whole night,” said Monica Abraham, registered polysomnographer. “One misconception is that the patient is just there to sleep. I might have to come in and wake them up if I am lacking something in a test. We try to log back sleep or supine sleep for a true reading, so sometimes the patient needs to be woken up in order to make some adjustments.”
At 6 a.m. the following day, the patient is awakened. The results of the sleep study are read by a physician that morning and the patient is seen by a physician within 24 hours. Repeat sleep studies may be necessary depending on the circumstances of the individual.
“With obesity, the incident of obstructive sleep apnea increases,” said Nazi Khan, M.D. , FCCP, who is Board Certified in Sleep Medicine. “People often are diagnosed with depression when they actually have sleep apnea. Anyone with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 40 or 50 is a candidate for sleep apnea.”
When untreated, sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems. Sleep apnea has also been linked to high blood pressure, chronic heart strain and failure, stroke, and even sudden death. The good news is that sleep apnea is treatable.
“We are improving their quality of life,” said Dr. Khan. “They are more alert, more active, more productive at work and home, and they begin to lose weight.”
Sleep apnea affects more than 12 million Americans and can strike at any age. For more information about the Sleep Lab at Columbus Community Hospital, call 920-623-2200 Ext. 1375.
