Active Healthcare, an award-winning industry leader in sleep apnea treatment, hosted a meeting of the Durham A.W.A.K.E. (Alert, Well and Keeping Energetic) support group Thursday, October 28 to share meaningful education and resources for managing this dangerous condition.

Participants learned how to deal with challenges in CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy, an effective method for treating obstructive sleep apnea. Presenters Julie Shannon and Angela Martinez, sleep specialists with Active Healthcare, were on hand to showcase the latest equipment and perform screenings for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in addition to testing attendee CPAP equipment on-site. Read the rest of this entry

The Brazos Valley sleep clinics are coming up to help patients find ways to help them sleep.

The College Station Sleep Center received national accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The accreditation distinguishes College Station Sleep Center as meeting or exceeding national quality-of-care measures for sleep disorder treatment. According to a Med spokesperson, the College Station Sleep Center is the only accredited sleep center in the Brazos Valley.  Read the rest of this entry

By Jobee Knight

On October 24, 2010 the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) updated their web page that describes the many potential side effects of sleeping drugs.  On their site, they state that “Complex behaviors are a potential side effect of sedative-hypnotic products – a class of drugs used to help a person fall asleep and stay asleep.  These include making phone calls, sleep-eating, and getting into the car and driving while not fully awake. Most people do not remember these events later.”

Russell Katz, M.D., Director of the FDA’s Division of Neurology Products says, “Complex behaviors, such as sleep-driving, could be potentially dangerous to both the patients and to others.” Read the rest of this entry

SleepApneaDisorder/[Press Release ] / Cephalon, Inc. today announced that Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) for its medications NUVIGIL® (armodafinil) Tablets [C-IV] and PROVIGIL® (modafinil) Tablets [C-IV] have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Both the NUVIGIL and PROVIGIL REMS consist of a Medication Guide to inform patients about the potential risks associated with the use of these medications, a communication plan and a timetable for submission of assessments of the REMS.  The communication plan includes a Dear Healthcare Professional Letter, a Prescriber Brochure, a Pharmacist Action Letter and a dedicated REMS Internet Site. The introduction of the NUVIGIL and PROVIGIL REMS programs is consistent with the company’s commitment to safe and appropriate use of its medications.   Read the rest of this entry

Sleep disorders affect up to two-thirds of children with the Autism (or autistic) Spectrum Disorder (ASD) . Insomnias are predominant; however, parasomnias, breathing disorders, and movement disorders have also been reported. Recent work in ASD genetics suggests a relationship between polymorphisms in the biological clock genes, and autism.

Although the effects of sleep disorders are difficult to separate from the effects of neurodevelopmental disability in general, insomnia is important to treat because it may exacerbate challenging behaviors, hyperactivity, cognitive deficits, headaches, and seizure frequency.

For sleep difficulties related to disrupted circadian cycles, it may be helpful to limit daytime sleeping and caffeine intake and to ensure regular exercise. Exogenous treatment with melatonin may decrease time to sleep onset.

Psychiatric comorbidities, such as anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and medical comorbidities, such as epilepsy, sleep disorders, and Tourette syndrome, are frequent in ASD.

Valley Sleep Center announces the opening of their fifth sleep clinic in Chandler, Arizona.

The new clinic is located at 1120 South Dobson Road Building B, Suite 100, Chandler, AZ 85286 and is accepting new patients. Valley Sleep Center recently opened their fourth location in Scottsdale, this past October. They also have facilities located in Mesa and Phoenix, and Glendale.

Valley Sleep Center is one of the largest independent sleep diagnostics centers in Arizona with the facilities to diagnose and treat a variety of sleep-related issues such as sleep apnea, insomnia, sleep walking, snoring, and more. Read the rest of this entry

Common eye disorder called floppy eyelid syndrome is strongly linked with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a new study finds.

“This is very significant,” says researchers at the Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.  “When doctors diagnose one condition in a patient they should also look for the other, in this case OSA.”

The study tracked 102 patients with floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) from 1995 through 2008. People with FES have rubbery-textured upper eyelids that may easily flip up during sleep, which can lead to irritated eyes and or discharge. Read the rest of this entry

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the average sleep apnea sufferer stops breathing and loses oxygen between five and 30 times a night. This lack of oxygen leads to a host of complications, including high blood pressure, vascular disease, an abnormal heart rhythm, or even a fatal cardiac event. Now, a team of University of Missouri researchers is exploring the changes in distinct brain regions that contribute to these symptoms in hopes of combating this common health issue.

Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat relax during sleep, leading the airway to narrow or close. It’s estimated that 12 million Americans are affected by sleep apnea, but it’s widely believed that the issue is under reported. There are no blatant signs or blood tests to diagnose the disrupted sleep. Most cases of sleep apnea are discovered when a partner notices an increase in snoring, or when the sufferer indicates daytime fatigue and sleepiness. Read the rest of this entry

In a recently concluded research the investigators aimed to evaluate the predictive value of anthropometric measurements and self-reported symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in a large number of not yet diagnosed or treated patients. Commonly used clinical indices were used to derive a prediction formula that could identify patients at low and high risk for OSAS.

Two thousand six hundred ninety patients with suspected OSAS were enrolled.Researchers obtained weight; height; neck, waist, and hip circumference; and a measure of subjective sleepiness (Epworth sleepiness scale-ESS) prior to diagnostic polysomnography. Excessive daytime sleepiness severity (EDS) was coded as follows: 0 for ESS???3 (normal), 1 for ESS score 4-9 (normal to mild sleepiness), 2 for score 10-16 (moderate to severe sleepiness), and 3 for score >16 (severe sleepiness). Multivariate linear and logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and derive a prediction formula. Read the rest of this entry

New York Harbor Healthcare System, Brooklyn campus, will officially open its state-of-the-art Sleep Center on Monday, Sept. 27, at 10 a.m.

Veterans of all ages can now be diagnosed and treated at VA for a wide variety of sleep disorders including obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, central sleep apnea syndromes, narcolepsy, as well as sleep problems associated with traumatic brain injury.

The Sleep Center will conduct home sleep studies for sleep apnea testing. Sleep apnea is one of the leading causes of excessive daytime sleepiness, which often goes undiagnosed. [Read Complete Release...]

A recently concluded research study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project called “Cellphones and American Adults.” shows that close to two-thirds of American adults sleep with their cell phones on or right next to their beds. However, the number rises to over 90% among people ages 18 to 29.

91% of Americans say their cell phones make them feel safer. However, sleeping with a cell phone may actually be endangering people’s lives not making them more secure. Read the rest of this entry

A recently completed research evaluated insomnia symptoms and the extent to which they are associated with clinical and demographic patient characteristics, daytime symptoms, and functional performance in patients with stable heart failure (HF). 

In a cross-sectional, observational research study with a setting  as a five structured HF disease management programs in the Northeastern U.S.

This research study involved 173 stable chronic HF patients as participants.Full polysomnography was obtained for one night in participants’ homes. Read the rest of this entry

It may come as news to new parents but a US study has found that mothers do get enough sleep in their babies’ first few months – it’s just not good quality.

Researchers from West Virginia University in Morgantown followed a group of new mothers and found, on average, the women got just over 7 hours of sleep a night during their babies’ first four months.

That amount is generally what is recommended for adults, and, based on past studies, more than the average American gets. Read the rest of this entry

SleepApneaDisorder/[Press Release]/-Dr. Markus Schmidt will review common sleep disorders and cardiovascular consequences of sleep apnea on Saturday, August 21^st at 1:00 p.m. at the Health & Fitness Expo held at the Columbus Convention Center. The lecture is free and opened to the public attending the event.  

“Many residents in Central Ohio suffer from a sleep problem or disorder that affects not only their quality of life, but also their daytime performance and can have profound consequences on their overall mental and physical health,” says Dr. Markus Schmidt, medical director at the Ohio Sleep Medicine Institute. “Sleep is a vital element for our well-being, and addressing underlying conditions that contribute to insomnia, snoring, sleep apnea, restless nights or other sleep disturbances can completely change one’s life,” he adds. Read the rest of this entry

Valley Oximetry Sleep Disorders Center (Valley Sleep Center) announced the opening of their fourth sleep clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The new clinic is located at 9767 N 91st Street Suite B104, Scottsdale, AZ 85258, and will be accepting new patients on September 1st, 2010. Valley Sleep Center recently opened their third location in Glendale this past April. They also have facilities located in Mesa and Phoenix.

Valley Sleep Center is one of the largest independent sleep diagnostics centers in the valley with the facilities to diagnose and treat a variety of sleep-related issues such as insomnia, sleep walking, snoring, and more. Read the rest of this entry