Outpatient Visits
Patients who
are referred to a Penn
Sleep Center physician
undergo a comprehensive
evaluation. During the initial
visit, complete medical
and sleep histories
are obtained, and a
medical examination
is performed. After
an evaluation by one
of the Sleep Center
physicians, you may
be referred for an overnight
sleep study and, in
some cases, a series
of nap studies during
the daytime.
These studies involve the use of sophisticated
diagnostic equipment
to non-invasively
monitor brain, heart,
respiratory and muscle
activity during sleep.
After testing has
been completed, you
will return to your
sleep physician to
review the results
and develop a treatment
plan. Depending on
the diagnosis, this
may include continuous
positive airway
pressure (CPAP) therapy
for breathing disorders,
medication, behavioral
modification, or
consultation with
another medical specialist,
such as an ear, nose
and throat (ENT) physician.
A sleep physician will
also monitor patients
who do not require
overnight studies to
ensure that their treatment
program is effective.
For patients who
are candidates,
clinical trials,
which explore new
treatments for common
sleep disorders,
are also available.
|
