Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Sleep Well, Feel Better » (4th Edition)

Pascualy, Ralph A., MD; Soest, Sally Warren, MS

Snoring and Sleep Apnea is written people with sleep apnea, as well as for their bed partners, families, and friends, and for health care professionals involved in sleep apnea management. Written by experts in the field, the book covers causes, diagnosis, treatment, and surgical techniques as well as the pros and cons of specific therapies. Readers learn when snoring is a sign of sleep apnea, why the condition is dangerous, when to see a sleep specialist, where to find an accredited sleep disorder center, the latest treatments, and how to feel better fast. Fully revised and expanded, this edition also contains a new chapter on women and sleep apnea; managing children and adolescents with the problem; advances in CPAP and other key treatments; and the latest statistics on the impact of sleep apnea on obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Ruzica K. Ristanovic

This updated and minimally expanded book represents a unique blend of physicians' and patient spouses' viewpoints of sleep apnea, providing guidelines to patients and their families. The second edition was published in 1996. The authors' goal is to fill "an information vacuum" in layperson/patient education literature and improve recognition of sleep apnea in the medical community. Education of the people with suspected or diagnosed sleep apnea, their spouses, and their family physicians is expected to enable them to understand the disorder, and lead them to more timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The book is targeted for suspected or actual patients, their spouses, and family members, but it will be a source of information for primary care physicians, especially because they are becoming more and more instrumental in early recognition and continuous management of sleep apnea. The book is organized in 16 chapters in which relevant questions are addressed. An appendix of the addresses, products, and services for sleep apnea patients is available. An informative table is provided in which drugs with potential to cause drowsiness, apnea, or insomnia are summarized is available as well. The title, the content, and the organization of the Chapter 15 have been altered and simplified from the previous edition. This book is enriched by appropriate graphs and excellent illustrations. The references are adequate and current. In-depth coverage of a topic "Treating Sleep Apnea" enables the patient to get involved and make an informed decision about treatment choice. The authors of this excellent book provide information about sleep apnea primarily to patients and their families.The uniqueness of the book resides in a blend of the viewpoint of a physician (sleep medicine specialist) and the viewpoint of a patient's spouse. The reader is provided with state-of-the-art information in the field of sleep apnea in a more palatable form. The format of the book is not changed, but the information is updated.

Foreword   William C. Dement     vii
Preface     ix
Acknowledgments     xi
Do You Have Sleep Apnea?     1
Sleep Apnea Is Hard on Your Heart     12
Driving Sleepy: Sleep Apnea Causes Auto Crashes     17
Sleep Apnea Invades Health, Home, and Workplace     21
Diagnosing and Treating Sleep Apnea     24
Normal Sleep, Snoring, and Sleep Apnea     29
What Causes Sleep Apnea?     38
Problems and Pitfalls of Identifying Sleep Apnea     45
The Sleep Center: Testing for Sleep Apnea     54
Treating Sleep Apnea     66
Obesity and Sleep Apnea     103
Sleep Apnea in Infants     111
Snoring and Sleep Apnea in Older Children and Adolescents     117
Women and Sleep Apnea     124
Sleep Apnea and Seniors     128
Finding a Sleep Specialist     134
Choosing a CPAP System and a Durable Medical Equipment Company     139
The CPAP Mask: Getting Fit     151
Alternative Medicine and Sleep Apnea     161
References     165
Addresses, Products, and Services for People with
Sleep Apnea     177
Glossary     187
Index     190