Patient Type 1: Never Been Diagnosed, Never Been A Patient
So, you have heard about Sleep Apnea and CPAP, but you would like to know more…
That’s great! We are here to help. At Sleep Clinics of America, we see patients with a wide range of sleep disorders including sleep apnea, insomnia, daytime fatigue/sleepiness, etc. Some patients respond better to certain types of treatments than others. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the gold standard treatment for sleep apnea. CPAP keeps your airway open during the night by gently providing a constant stream of air through a mask you wear while you sleep. This will eliminate the breathing interruptions caused by sleep apnea, so you will no longer snore or make choking noises in your sleep. You will be able to sleep through the night without your body waking up from lack of oxygen. To learn more check out our research pages on our website and if you think that you may have a sleep disorder, please consider scheduling an appointment from the homepage on our website so that you can be properly evaluated. In most cases, it is covered by insurance while the evaluation is quick and painless. New advances in home sleep testing mean that some patients can even be evaluated overnight in their own homes.
Patient Type 2: Previous Diagnosis, Never Treated
So, you have been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) but you have not yet sought treatment…
It is great that you took the first step to be evaluated and the great news is that you are not alone. Sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, have become a significant health issue in the United States. It is estimated that tens of millions of Americans suffer from sleep apnea, with 80 percent of the cases of moderate to severe sleep apnea undiagnosed. Untreated or poorly treated sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems. Sleep apnea is also associated with diabetes and depression and is a major factor in many traffic accidents and mishaps with heavy machinery, usually due to fatigue. The public and the health community are generally aware of the increasing obesity of Americans, a phenomenon related to the increase in sleep apnea. Few outside the sleep medicine community, however, are aware that too little good sleep appears to be as much a factor in obesity as too much food and too little exercise. If you have been previously diagnosed but have waited to seek treatment, it is important to realize that recent advancements in technology have led to the latest generation of CPAP machines to be quiet, efficient and minimally obtrusive. Large and bulky full face masks have given way to new smaller masks that fit inside the nostrils which most patients find quite comfortable. To learn more about new advances in treatment options, please check out our research pages on our website and if you think that you are ready to explore your treatment options to help you live longer with a higher quality of life, then please consider scheduling an appointment from the homepage on our website so that we can get you started on the road to recovery.
Patient Type 3: Previous Diagnosis, Started CPAP, But Stopped
So, you have been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and started treatment, but you are no longer actively using it…
Don’t worry, you are not alone. Approximately sixty percent (60%) of those prescribed CPAP do not end up using it long term. Since CPAP works only if you’re using it, if only 40% of people are still using CPAP regularly 5 years after beginning treatment, then the CPAP success rate is at best 40%. But not all people who use CPAP will benefit, so this figure is likely to be much lower. Many more people are likely to stop using CPAP as the years go by. There are patients who are 100% compliant with CPAP, using their machines 100% of the time they are sleeping with no leaks and no residual sleep apnea, and still do not report feeling much better. CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) delivers constant airflow to people while they sleep. CPAP is often referred to as “the gold standard” treatment option and is the most commonly prescribed form of therapy. Recent advances in equipment technology include machines that work automatically to adjust to your needs. APAP (automatic positive airway pressure) automatically varies its air pressure throughout the night in response to a person’s needs, making treatment more comfortable. Many patients find these new machines quieter, easier to use and the new masks are more comfortable. The devices that we recommend most often for our patients even communicate wirelessly via the cloud to enable you to access your own sleep information from your smartphone. If you would like to find out more information about recent advances in sleep disorder treatments, check out our research pages on our website and if you think that you are ready to consider resuming your treatment to help you live longer with a higher quality of life, then please consider scheduling an appointment from the homepage on our website so that we can get you back on the road to recovery.
Patient Type 4: Previous Diagnosis, Using CPAP, Stopped Follow-up
So, you have been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and you are currently using CPAP, but you haven’t seen a doctor in a while…
Congratulations on your success using CPAP, you are one of the 40% of patients with great compliance. I hope that you have found the treatments to be helpful and that you are feeling better and living longer as a result. One thing to keep in mind, depending on how long it has been since you last saw a doctor, is that recent advances in technology have resulted in much more efficient equipment and more comfortable mask options. Since you are already compliant with your treatment, you may be just fine, but it doesn’t hurt to be evaluated every year or two just to make sure you are taking advantage of the best solutions possible to help ensure compliance going forward. Old CPAP equipment does not automatically adjust as well as the newer models and may lack humidification options that allow patients to be more comfortable in a wider variety of settings. The latest equipment even allows data from your CPAP machine to be accessed via the cloud so that your doctor can better assess the success of your treatment while giving patients direct access to their personal sleep data via a smartphone app. In some cases, the doctor may even elect to repeat a sleep study to ensure that you are getting the maximum benefit from your treatment. If you would like to find out more information about recent advances in sleep disorder treatments, check out our research pages on our website and if you think that you are ready to consider reviewing your treatment options with a doctor, then please consider scheduling an appointment from the homepage on our website so that you can remain complaint for years to come.
Patient Type 5: Previous Diagnosis, Using CPAP, Patient of Another Practice
So, you have been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, are currently using CPAP, and you are under a doctor’s care somewhere other than SCA…
Congratulations on your success using CPAP — you are one of the 40% of patients with great compliance. It is also great that you are actively under the care of a doctor, but it is important to make sure that your doctor is a sleep specialist. One way to be certain you’re getting a certified specialist is to request one at a sleep lab that is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), which requires a certified specialist in every lab. Sleep Clinics of America (SCA) only employs sleep-trained and Board-Certified Sleep Specialists on staff. Sleep specialists typically have a specialty in one field. Behavioral sleep medicine (BSM) specialists, for example, have extensive training in treating chronic insomnia. It’s often not possible in other practices to see doctors who specialize in your particular sleep issue—if you even know what your condition is—but certified sleep specialists have the training to evaluate everything from breathing-related disorders to mental and neurological issues. SCA was founded by Dr. Dimi Barot, one of the leading sleep specialists in the country. Dr. Barot completed his neurology training at the University of Miami and his sleep disorders fellowship via Yale University. Dr. Barot is so sought after that Audi engaged Dr. Barot to consult on the next generation of sleep avoidance technology for their cars. If you would like to meet with one of Dr. Barot’s Board Certified Sleep Specialists at SCA, then please consider scheduling an appointment from the homepage on our website so that we can ensure you get the best treatment possible.
