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The
Regional Center for Sleep Disorders
Requesting Evaluation
Diagnostic Testing at the Center
Treatment
Insurance Coverage
Location
& Contact Information
For millions of Americans,
getting adequate sleep or staying awake during the day is a constant challenge.
In fact, 35 percent of the population complains of difficulty falling
asleep or maintaining sleep. Sleep disorders can cause daytime fatigue,
irritability, and listlessness — conditions that lead to a variety
of problems at work and home. Other factors — such as illness, stress,
and injury — can alter sleep patterns.
Sleep disorder medicine is
a recognized specialty. It has developed in response to the growing recognition
of the enormous medical, economic, and social impact of disturbed sleep
upon healthy functioning.
The multidisciplinary
team at UPMC Horizon's Regional Center for Sleep Disorders provides comprehensive
evaluation and treatment of various disorders, including:
Requesting Evaluation
You or your physician can request an initial evaluation at the
center by contacting the Regional
Center for Sleep Disorders. The evaluation includes a medical
history, sleep history, and brief physical examination to determine
if any medical problem exists. Some sleep problems can be identified
at this time, through evaluation alone; others may require diagnostic
testing. Referral to medical specialists — including experts
in pulmonary
medicine or ear, nose, and throat medicine — may be
recommended following the evaluation.
Diagnostic Testing at the Center
Various sleep problems require a sleep study or polysomnogram.
For clinicians to make a polysomnogram, a patient stays overnight
in a comfortable private room while monitors continuously evaluate
sleep patterns, brain waves, eye movements, breathing effort,
heart rhythms, oxygen levels, and leg muscle movements. The information
obtained is necessary for proper diagnosis and treatment. Patients
are asked to report to the center at 9 p.m. the evening of the
sleep study to prepare for the test. A specially trained polysomnographic
technologist is present for the duration of the testing. Following
discussion of the results, patients may leave the next morning
to return to their normal daytime activity.
A multiple sleep latency
test (MSLT) is administered to those patients complaining of excessive
daytime sleepiness. It is most helpful in the diagnosis of narcolepsy.
This test, consisting of four naps taken every two hours, is conducted
to determine the amount of time a patients needs to fall asleep and the
type of sleep the patient experiences.
Treatment
All
patients receive an individualized treatment program. Some problems
may simply require adjusting sleep habits or reducing stress.
Sleep apnea can be treated with various methods, including weight
loss; medication; or, more commonly, continuous positive airway
pressure (CPAP), which provides a steady airway pressure through
a nasal mask to prevent the throat from closing off during sleep.
In some sleep apnea cases, surgery may be recommended.
Insurance Coverage
Sleep studies are accepted medical procedures whose cost most
insurance carriers cover. However, because it is impossible to
predict the extent of your coverage, it is strongly recommended
that you contact your insurance company representative for information
before undergoing any tests or procedures.
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