SNORING AND SLEEP APNEA: PERSONAL AND FAMILY GUIDE TO DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

SNORING AND SLEEP APNEA: PERSONAL AND FAMILY GUIDE TO DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Ralph Pascualy, MD, and Sally Warren Soest
New York: Demos Vermande, 1996
238 pages, paperback, $24.95
ISBN 0-939967-82-5

Reviewed by Lynne Lamberg

After seeing a news story about a trucker who fell asleep at the wheel, a Seattle man sought help for his own drowsiness. His obstructive sleep apnea was diagnosed and treated by Ralph Pascualy, MD, medical director of the Providence Sleep Disorders Center of Seattle. In this book, Pascualy and his patient's wife, Seattle writer Sally Soest, address common patient and family concerns.

They offer a straightforward, comprehensive guide that answers basic questions: what is sleep apnea?, how is it diagnosed?, how is it treated? They also explore the role of obesity in sleep apnea, and its impact on persons of various ages. These include infants, in whom sleep apnea may play a role in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome; older children and adolescents, where it may contribute to learning difficulties and behavior problems; and older adults. The notion that feeling sleepy is part of getting old, Pascualy and Soest suggest, may keep some persons from seeking treatment and some physicians from looking for a disorder. Book chapters are divided into easy to digest sections, with boldface and italicized headings to make scanning easy.

For persons using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device that keeps airways open in sleep, the authors include practical guidelines on finding a homecare company and maintaining a relationship with sleep center staff. They also note the value of support groups, describing the nationwide network of sleep apnea support groups called AWAKE (Alert, Well, And Keeping Energetic), and providing contact information.

One chapter describes the lure of alternative medicine, and provides guidelines to sharpen a reader's skepticism about putative cures. An appendix lists nearly 100 medications that may cause drowsiness, apnea, or insomnia. This is an authoritative, clear, friendly guide.