Sleep apnea affects many who don't know they have the disorder
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

Little did Jay Sendyk know his tossing and turning every night was caused by a common sleeping disorder called sleep apnea.

The Agoura Hills resident had attributed his restless mind to stress.

"I didn't know I even had the symptoms," Sendyk said. "I never had a true night's sleep, because I had sleep apnea."

Like Sendyk, most people don't know they have the sleep disorder, said Thousand Oaks' physician Ronald Popper, a sleep specialist.

Medical experts say as many as 18 million Americans suffer from one of three forms of sleep apnea-obstructive, central and mixed. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type. Although the root cause of each form differs, the result is the same: The person stops breathing-sometimes hundreds of times a night-while they sleep.

Sleep apnea can strike anyone at any age; however, it's more common in men who are overweight and over 40 years old.

Sendyk, 55, was diagnosed with the obstructive form after undergoing an overnight sleep test at Popper's clinic.

"For the first time in my life I hit REM (rapid eye movement) . . . the deepest abyss of sleep you can get," Sendyk said.

As was the case with Sendyk, most patients with sleep apnea habitually snore loudly. Depending on the severity of the disorder, treatment for sleep apnea can range from surgery to a simple device that prevents the patient from sleeping on his back. Another frequent treatment is a dental device that moves the lower jaw and tongue forward.

However, surgery and the dental apparatus are generally only 30 to 50 percent effective, if they're effective at all, said Popper, an internist and pulmonary specialist certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine.

To be board-certified, a sleep specialist must be a psychologist, psychiatrist, neurologist or pulmonary specialist.

A sleep test should be performed at an accredited sleep center. Having a test done at an unaccredited center could yield different results, said Popper, who opened the Southern California Pulmonary and Sleep Disorder Medical Center in 1984.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Centers' website, there are 41 accredited centers in California and just two in Ventura County. Popper's sleep center is the only accredited one in the Conejo Valley.

For moderate sleep apnea, patients are usually prescribed a pressurized machine that keeps the airway open while they sleep. The machine is virtually 100 percent effective, Popper said.

Sendyk was prescribed the machine and came back to the

center for a second sleep test so he could be fitted with one of dozens of masks, or nasal cushions that are available.

"The key is finding a mask that properly fits and is comfortable to the patient," Popper said.

He said a second sleep test is essential, because without a properly fitting mask, patients often become frustrated and stop using the machine. Most people can wear a mask without difficulty, he added.

Initial medical costs generally run $300 for a consultation and from $1,500 to $2,500 for the sleep study. Popper said most insurance companies cover these expenses along with the machine.

However, insurance usually doesn't cover surgery or the dental device, because both have unpredictable results, he said.

The problem with diagnosis

Medical experts say the problem with diagnosing sleep apnea is that most people with the condition, like Sendyk, aren't aware of it.

Reportedly, less than 10 percent of people with sleep apnea are treated for it.

Further complicating the matter is that doctors may have had little education on the subject in medical school. Physicians who graduated prior to the mid-1990s haven't had in-depth training on sleep apnea, Popper said; it's only been in the last few years that the medical curriculum has included it.

Popper himself didn't have thorough training on sleep disorders in medical school. But during a fellowship in the 1980s, he researched the subject and saw the need for specialists in this now burgeoning field.

For Sendyk, discovering and then treating the sleep disorder has given him a new lease on life. He now has more energy and slightly lower blood pressure. His coworkers say he's calmer and less irritable.

"It makes you sharper," Sendyk said of the successful treatment. "Once I started it, it does change your lifestyle."

For more information on sleep apnea or to take a sleep quiz, visit the Mayo Clinic's website at www.mayoclinic.com/ or the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's website at http:// www.aasmnet.org/.