Sleep Center Catches Silent Killer
Sleep apnea is often referred to as a silent killer.
More than 95 percent of cases of the breathing disorder go undiagnosed, said Warren Brent, director of the sleep center for Smyrna Pulmonary and Sleep Associates.
And, if gone undiagnosed for a long period of time, the disorder can cause cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, heart failure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease and death.
The majority of patients treated by Smyrna Pulmonary and Sleep Associates have sleep apnea. The practice, which has a clinic and a sleep center, also treats other sleep disorders including insomnia, restless leg syndrome, periodic leg movements and narcolepsy.
Smyrna Pulmonary & Sleep Associates has offices in Smyrna, Murfreesboro and Shelbyville. The Murfreesboro center opened in January 2009.
The Murfreesboro location has four sleeping rooms for monitoring patients’ sleep and a clinic for the treatment of patients. Most patients are referred to the clinic by their primary care physician, but patients can also call the clinic on their own.
Dr. Prakash Patel, who is board certified in pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine, said there is a high demand for sleep centers in Murfreesboro because of the high rate of sleep disorders.
“We have room to grow,” Patel said. “We are getting busier as time goes on.”
Patel said his sleep center is different from most because they not only diagnose patients but they also make sure they are being treated properly.
Some 40 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders and 18 million of those suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. Twenty percent of people are at risk for having sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is the absence of airflow due to a closure in the upper airway that lasts at least 10 seconds in spite of the continual effort to breath.
According to Reader’s Digest, sleep apnea is one of the 10 most commonly missed diseases by doctors.
Brent said many doctors may just treat symptoms like hypertension, acid reflux or even depression and not realize that they could be steaming from sleep apnea. This makes it even more important that patients educate themselves and get tested.
Patel said individuals should get tested for sleep apnea if they snore loudly, have daytime sleepiness and fatigue, poor concentration, history of hypertension, have a body mass index of 30 or more and have a neck larger than 18 inches.
Sleep apnea is most commonly treated by continuous positive air pressure (CPAP). The device concentrates gentle air pressure in the nasal passages to keep the airway open.
“CPAP is 100 percent effective in correcting sleep apnea,” Brent said.
Weight loss also is advised.
Rebecca Fuhrer, a patient of Smyrna Pulmonary and Sleep Associates, has been using the CPAP device for a month to treat her sleep apnea and has seen positive results.
“This has made a huge difference in my heath,” she said.
Fuhrer’s blood pressure has gone down significantly. She has been on three different medications for high blood pressure and was still having instability in her blood pressure.
Additionally, her energy level has increased, she has lost weight and swelling in her ankles has gone down.
Fuhrer’s primary care physician referred her to Smyrna Pulmonary and Sleep Associates.
The center uses the latest CPAP devices. Machines will record if patients are using the device, if there are problems with the device or if the patient is being treated correctly.
A new less cumbersome mask just covers the patients’ nostrils.
Smyrna Pulmonary and Sleep Associates
546 Brandies Circle
Suite 102 • 355-5105
Sleep questions are answered 24 hours a day at 691-1185
Erin Edgemon can be contacted at [email protected].
