Sleep Apnea occurs when the upper airway collapses during sleep and patients either stop breathing (apnea) or have significant decrease in airflow (hypopnea). This causes considerable stress on the body and frequent interuption of the sleep cycle. Patients typically complain of daytime sleepiness, headaches upon awakening, or their partners note snoring. Treatment is imperative because sleep apnea has been associated with increased risk of high blood pressure, stroke and coronary artery disease.
Our doctors are trained in the diagnosis of sleep apnea and our office performs home sleep studies, whereby a monitor is sent home with the patient to record their sleep and breathing patterns at night. Dr. Brian Gelbman is boarded in Sleep Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine and interprets the sleep study results.
For more complex cases, a referral to an overnight sleep center, whereby your sleep can be monitored by a trained technician, may be required.
If diagnosed, there are different options or therapies to treat sleep apnea, from continuous positive airway pressure devices to dental devices to surgery.