Dangers of Sleep Disorders Highlighted on New SleepQuest Web Site.Business Editors/Health, Medical and Lifestyle Writers REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--March 28, 2000 Timed to coincide with National Sleep Awareness Week and the return to Daylight Savings Time, SleepQuest, of Redwood City, unveiled a new Web Site, www.SleepQuest.com, that offers the latest, most up-to-date and accurate information on sleep, sleep disorders Sleep Disorders Definition Sleep disorders are a group of syndromes characterized by disturbance in the patient's amount of sleep, quality or timing of sleep, or in behaviors or physiological conditions associated with sleep. , and sleep research. "Sleep disorders have become such a pervasive national problem that Congress declared the week of March 27th as a time to learn more about the effects of sleep-related problems on an estimated 68 million Americans," SleepQuest President Robert Koenigsberg said. "One sleep disorder in particular, Obstructive Sleep Apnea Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) A potentially life-threatening condition characterized by episodes of breathing cessation during sleep alternating with snoring or disordered breathing. (OSA 1. OSA - Open Scripting Architecture. 2. OSA - Open System Architecture. ) effects 30 million Americans and is more prevalent than asthma. Unfortunately, only 5% of the population has been diagnosed and treated," he added. "SleepQuest has created a comprehensive sleep portal loaded with features, including a weekly column and a chat room with Dr. William C. Dement Dr. William C. DeMent, M.D., Ph.D., is an American sleep researcher. He is the founder and director of the Stanford University Sleep Research Center. In the 1950s as a medical student, he was the first to intensively study the connection between rapid eye movement and , the leading authority on sleep disorders," said Koenigsberg. Dr. Dement de·ment tr.v. de·ment·ed, de·ment·ing, de·ments 1. To make (a person) insane. 2. To cause (a person) to lose intellectual capacity. founded the world's first sleep research center at Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford University School of Medicine is affiliated with Stanford University and is located at Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, California, adjacent to Palo Alto and Menlo Park. 47 years ago. Dr. Dement will be addressing Congress on March 28 in an effort to further educate lawmakers and deliver an urgent call for personal and cultural awareness of sleep. OSA is one of the most serious sleeping disorders, caused by a sleep-induced relaxation of the muscles in the back of the mouth and throat. This causes the main airway to collapse resulting in a total or partial blockage of airflow into the lungs. This can cause a reduction in oxygen, leading to extreme fatigue, the inability to think clearly, and severe irreversible sleep deprivation. The new web site features "The Best Available Guide to Obstructive Sleep Apnea," that provides an in-depth understanding of OSA. Additionally, On Feb. 24 the National Sleep Foundation, citing studies on fatigue, driving performance and sleep-related accidents, held a press conference in which they called on the Department of Transportation to increase the number of off-duty hours for commercial truck drivers as a means to reduce the number of drowsy driver crashes. SleepQuest, Inc., founded in 1994, is based in Redwood City, with separate field offices serving the entire San Francisco Bay Area “Bay Area” redirects here. For other uses, see Bay Area (disambiguation). The San Francisco Bay Area, colloquially known as the Bay Area or The Bay and the Central Valley. SleepQuest provides a complete range of sleep care services in the convenience of the patient's home. Their innovative "Continuum of Care" program includes testing, treatment, education and follow-up, and represents significant cost-savings over traditional hospital and home-care treatment programs. They specialize in CPAP CPAP abbr. continuous positive airway pressure Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) A ventilation device that blows a gentle stream of air into the nose during sleep to keep the airway open. (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure continuous positive airway pressure n. Abbr. CPAP A technique of respiratory therapy for individuals breathing with or without mechanical assistance in which airway pressure is maintained above atmospheric pressure throughout the ) therapy which relieves OSA symptoms and restores quality of life and health for sleep-deprived individuals. Corporate Headquarters: 702 Marshall Street, Suite 520 Redwood City, CA 94063, 800/813-8358, 650/365-6492, www.sleepquest.com. |
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