MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercy & Unity Hospitals have launched a new program to identify and treat people who have breathing problems that affect sleeping. The hospitals recently opened Sleep Disorders Centers at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids in the hospital’s new Heart & Vascular Center and later this year they plan to open a second location at Columbia Park Medical Group’s new facility at 10000 Zane Ave. N. in Brooklyn Park.
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“Many people are suffering from sleep disorders and do not know it; it’s an under diagnosed condition,” says Debra Skees, manager of respiratory services, Mercy & Unity. “People are being treated for hypertension or depression, and some of these may be secondary to the core problem of sleep disorder.”
Symptoms of a breathing related sleep disorder may include loud snoring and episodes where breathing stops for short periods while sleeping, which can lead to a feeling of being tired when waking, morning headaches or sleepiness during the day. One of the most common disorders is sleep apnea, which involves a disruption in breathing while sleeping. This potentially serious sleep disorder can cause significant problems if untreated, including high blood pressure, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, depression and headaches.
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, a sleep study might be right for you:
-- Are you a loud snorer, disturbing your bedroom companion? -- Do you feel groggy and tired on awakening? -- Do you experience sleepiness and fatigue during waking hours? -- Are you overweight? -- Have you been observed to choke, gasp or hold your breath during sleep?
Once a sleep disorder is suspected, a doctor may recommend an overnight study called Polysomnogram, to diagnose the problem and determine proper treatment. During this study, a patient stays overnight in a comfortable, home-like room. Before going to bed, a technician attaches small metal discs, called electrodes, to the scalp and skin of the head, chest, and legs. A flexible elastic band may be placed around the chest and abdomen to detect and measure breathing rhythms. While the patient sleeps, various measurements are recorded such as brain waves, muscle and eye movements, breathing, snoring, and heart rate. In the morning, a technician reviews the basic results. If a sleep disorder is determined, a doctor will recommend a treatment plan.
If you or a family member is experiencing sleep difficulties, talk to your doctor about your symptoms and to see if he feels a sleep study would be of benefit. For more information about a sleep study, call 763-236-REST.
Mercy & Unity Hospitals, located in Coon Rapids and Fridley, are non-profit hospitals that serve the northern Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The hospitals, which are part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, cared for more than 200,000 patients in 2003. More information is located on the Internet at http://www.mercyunity.com/ . The latest health information is at http://www.medformation.com/ .
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CONTACT: Mercy & Unity Hospitals Media Relations, +1-763-236-3777 or+1-612-654-8769 (pager)