CFPG Institute of Sleep Medicine

Obstructive Sleep Apneais an extremely common sleep disorder that may affect up to 2% of middle aged women and 4% of middle aged men. It is believed that approximately 90% of patients with sleep apnea are currently undiagnosed and untreated.

Classic symptoms include habitual loud snoring, witnessed nocturnal apneas, nonrefreshing sleep, morning headaches, and excessive sleepiness. Obstructive sleep apnea is a weight related process and therefore its incidence and prevalence has risen, (along with the epidemic of obesity in our society). Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, including increased risks of systemic hypertension, myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accidents. Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea with nocturnal positive pressure ventilation has been shown to reduce these risks.

Sleep studies are tests used to diagnose, many types of sleep disorders including narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, REM behavior disorder, parasomnias, and sleep apnea. It is often ordered for patients with complaints of daytime fatigue or sleepiness that may be caused by interrupted sleep. For the standard test the patient comes to a sleep lab in the early evening, and over the next 1-2 hours is introduced to the setting and “wired up” so that multiple channels of data can be recorded when he/she falls asleep. During the study, the technician observes sleep activity by looking at the video monitor and the computer screen that displays all the data second by second. In most labs the test is completed and the patient is discharged home by 7 a.m. unless a Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) is to be done during the day to test for excessive daytime sleepiness.

The CFPG Sleep Institute of Sleep Medicine offers complete sleep studies with licensed technicians and the readings are currently provided by the seven sleep specialists at the Central Florida Pulmonary Group, including Dr. Daniel Layish, Dr. Francisco Remy, Dr. Ahmed Masood, Dr. Syed Mobin, Dr. Eugene Go, Dr. Mahmood Ali, Dr. Tabarak Qureshi and Dr. Roberto Santos. In addition to being board certified in internal medicine and pulmonary diseases,who specialize in sleep disorders go through additional training, culminating in certification by the American Board of Sleep Medicine and/or the American Board of Internal Medicine (in Sleep Disorders). The sleep physician will incorporate the elements from the patient’s history and physical examination and correlate this with the sleep study results to recommend a diagnostic and/or therapeutic regimen.

For more about sleep studies and to schedule sleep study consultations, call 407-581-1444