Sleep Apnea Studies

The Respiratory Care Department is now offering sleep testing at the hospital.  This service is being provided by Metropolitan Sleep Services, Inc. of Overland Park, Kansas.  Sleep Apnea is a disorder that causes you to stop breathing periodically throughout the night and awaken for short periods often. The sleep testing is fully attended and monitored by trained technicians, state-of-the-art recordings, and interpretations by Board Certified physicians. Contact your physician to find out if you could benefit from a  sleep study.

Metropolitan Sleep Services, Inc. specializes in the diagnostic testing of the following sleep disorders: Sleep Apnea.  This disorder causes you to stop breathing periodically throughout the night and awaken for short periods often. Narcolepsy.  A chronic ailment consisting of recurrent attacks of drowsiness and sleep. Insomnia.  Inability to sleep at a time when the person expects sleep to occur.  The difficulty may be in either falling asleep, remaining asleep, or both.

Restless Leg Syndrome.  This condition is characterized by an unpleasant sensation in your legs, along with an irresistible urge to move them.  This problem is often worse in the evenings, which may prevent one from falling asleep. Sleep Disordered Breathing.  Apnea- cessation of breathing during sleep.  Apnea must last for at least 10 seconds and occurs 30 times or more during a seven-hour period of sleep. The sleep testing is fully attended and monitored by trained technicians, state-of-the-art recordings, and interpretations by Board Certified Physicians. It is estimated that 9% of all males and 4% of all females have some form of sleep disorder.  In addition, it is estimated that more than 40% of all Americans over 60 years old may suffer from sleep apnea.  Sleep testing can be the definitive tool in the evaluation of patients with symptoms that lead to the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.  This can result in saving thousands of dollars in medical care, but more importantly, restoring and saving a patient's life. Sleep disorders are often seen in a variety of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiac, renal failure, neonates, pediatrics with enlarged tonsils, male impotence, gastrointestinal nighttime regurgitation, clinical depression, and neurological disorders often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's).   The test does require an overnight stay at the hospital.  Most insurance companies and Medicare will cover the cost of the test if medically indicated. A sleep study can be scheduled through your physician or contact  Wayne Rives in the Respiratory Care Department at BCMH (660) 200-7087 for more information.