Sleep apnea diagnosis doctor William L. Hoch D.M.D. is a cosmetic dentist specializing in dental procedures & snoring treatment in Beaver County, PA.

1. WELCOME TO WEST PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL SLEEP MEDICINE
Have you ever been told that you sometimes stop breathing while asleep, or that your
snoring is interrupted by pauses, gasps and snorting noises? Do you wake up in the morning
feeli g tired, grogg , a d as if ou ha e ot slept at all? If ou a s ered, es to o e or
more of these questions, it is possible that you may have obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder
in which a person stops breathing multiple times throughout the night.
http://westpennsylvaniasleep.com

2. ABOUT OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA
Have you ever been told that you sometimes stop breathing while asleep, or that your
snoring is interrupted by pauses, gasps and snorting noises? These are all signs that you
may be suffering from sleep apnea. This condition can be extremely disruptive and
frustrating to a bed partner, and can also be quite harmful to your health.
 An apnea is the suspension of breathing
 Each stoppage in breath results in drops in blood oxygen levels
 Patients may have dozens to hundreds of apneas each night
 The sleeper is momentarily startled awake, but may not remember
 The od ’s er ous s ste triggers a stress respo se to resu e reathi g after ea h
apnea event

3. SYMPTOMS
The ongoing release of stress hormones and repeated instantaneous awakenings
throughout the night rob sleep apnea suffers of the benefits of restorative rest. Though
they are sleep deprived, many sufferers have no idea how severe their condition is, and
believe they are sleeping soundly through the night.
There are immediately recognizable effects, however, which can include:
 An ongoing sense of listlessness, irritability or depression
 Awakening in the morning with a sort throat or a headache
 Decreased visual acuity
 Experiencing sudden unexplained awakenings during the night
 Nodding off when sitting or driving
 Poor memory or an inability to maintain mental focus
 Poor performance at work or school

4. HEALTH RISK
In addition to these immediate symptoms, sleep apnea can create long-term health
problems, and increase the risk of developing a number of conditions.
 Cardiovascular disease, including stroke
 Gastric reflux disease
 High blood pressure
 Increased risk for a range of cancers
 Increased weight gain
 Thyroid problems
 Type two diabetes

5. ABOUT SNORING
As many as half of adults snore nightly, and about half of those who snore nightly actually
ha e o stru ti e sleep ap ea. “ ori g o urs he a perso ’s air a s are o stru ted
during sleep, causing them to make the harsh sounds that many of us know all too well.
Some important facts about snoring:
 Those who are at the most risk for snoring are males and people who are overweight.
 While many men snore, snoring is still a problem affecting both genders
 As people age, the effects of snoring increase drastically, creating breathing problems
for them during the night
 “ ori g a or a ot e asso iated ith sleep ap ea, ut that it’s e essar for
health reasons to determine first if a person has sleep apnea
 If ou e perie e e ig s ori g, hi h is s ori g ithout sleep ap ea, the the
treatment plan may be different. In any event, we can still provide relief.

6. OSA DIAGNOSIS
A sleep physician must then interpret the results of the sleep test, and a doctor will
subsequently prescribe the treatment options. Our team works closely with local sleep
doctors, as well as your family doctor, to coordinate care if an oral appliance is necessary.
Our office offers a home sleep study. We instruct the patient on how to begin the study at
the start of sleep, end the study when awake in the morning, and then return to us for
interpretation. We also refer cases to a hospital- ased sleep la .
 Once the data is reviewed, you will receive an apnea/ hypopnea index (AHI) number.
 The sleep study will reveal how many times you experienced hypopnea, which is shallow
breathing, and apnea, the stoppage of breath.
 These two events are examined to create what is known as the AHI.
 Depending on that AHI score, the severity of your OSA will be determined and relevant
treatment options will be discussed.

7. WEST PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL SLEEP MEDICINE
300 Walnut Place South, Beaver PA, 15009
724-774-0383 -or- 888-845-4624
http://westpennsylvaniasleep.com/
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