clinical update publication

Sleep Diagnostics: Helping To Solve Hypersomnolence

With the sounding of the morning alarm, the day begins. Dreams vanish, eyes open and the rising sun chases away the remnants of sleep. Still, a feeling of exhaustion is prevalent. Once again, efforts to secure an adequate amount of sleep have proven meaningless; what’s more, as a result, the day is certain to be plagued by a lack of energy, periods of excessive drowsiness and an inability to concentrate. For at least 40 million Americans, this is life; their waking moments spent in a state of hypersomnolence, their nights battling any number of the 84 classified sleep disorders.

“Many Americans who suffer from sleep disorders are not cognizant of the fact that they are plagued with a potentially life-threatening problem,” revealed Alan Backman, CRT, RPFT, RPSGT, Co-Director, Respiratory Care Services, Deborah Heart and Lung Center (Deborah’s Sleep Diagnostics Laboratory is part of its Respiratory Care Services Department).

With new insight into the detrimental effects of sleep disorders, as well as recent attention due to the passing of “Maggie’s Law” in New Jersey, this is alarming. Research shows that sleep disorders, if left untreated, can contribute to such deleterious ailments as high blood pressure, diabetes and even heart disease.

How, then, does one remedy the situation? As Backman explains, it may be more difficult than one would expect. In recent years, it has come to light that sleep disorders can mask themselves behind familiar veils. Take for example attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Both are key phrases in today’s society, assigned to children and adults at an alarming rate. Through extensive research, however, it has been found that roughly 10 percent of those individuals who have been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD may actually suffer from some form of sleep disorder.

“With 84 sleep disorders to consider, and each one having overlapping characteristics, there does exist the possibility that physicians and internists not versed in sleep medicine could very easily overlook one,” said Backman. “This is especially true when considering that physical conditions, such as ADD and ADHD, can actually mimic sleep disorders in the way that they present themselves behaviorally.”

The solution, therefore, lies in cooperation and instruction. Referring physicians and internists must be provided with materials and insight on how to best recognize sleep disorders. This can be achieved either through information saturation - the expectation that physicians and internists have time to read every article on every ailment that crosses their desk - or by involving experts of sleep medicine in helping with diagnosis. According to the March 2002 Journal of Sleep Medication, the best evaluation tool used by polysomnographers is the Global Sleep Assessment Questionnaire (GSAQ). Broken down into 11 easy-to-answer questions, the GSAQ helps target patients who are most likely to suffer from a sleep disorder.

“As polysomnographers, one of our responsibilities is to ensure that referring physicians are continuously educated as to the happenings in the world of sleep medicine,” stated John Hill, RRT, Co-Director, Respiratory Care Services, Deborah Heart and Lung Center. “That said, the GSAQ is perhaps the easiest way for family physicians and internists to target patients who suffer from hypersomnolence.”

Recognition, however, is only the first step in returning quality of life to a sleep disorder patient; providing a proper diagnosis and treatment plan is essential. These important steps can be handled by a qualified sleep center, such as Deborah Heart and Lung Center’s Sleep Diagnostics Laboratory.

Opened in 1986, Deborah’s Sleep Diagnostics Laboratory is a four-bedroom laboratory that operates five days a week. On staff are five full-time polysomnographers who are either certified or registered in respiratory therapy and who have been trained to the standards of the American Association of Sleep Medicine. This comprehensive training has equipped these professionals with the ability to accurately diagnose potential sleep disorders and tailor individualized treatment plans to correct them.

Striving to maintain itself in the upper echelon of sleep diagnostics laboratories, Deborah is in the process of continuously expanding and improving its sleep program. Future goals are to include nutritional counseling, gastro esophageal reflux disease repair, psychological counseling, weight loss and support groups for patients on CPAP therapy.

“With every passing day, more and more information comes to light about the negative effects of sleep disorders on quality of life,” said Backman. “That information, when shared with the public and with referring physicians, is certain to help people recognize sleep disorders for what they are, and seek out the expertise of a sleep diagnostics center to secure treatment.”™

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