Treating Sleep Apnea, Insomnia and Other Disruptive Sleep Conditions
If you regularly experience difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or daytime drowsiness, you may have a sleep disorder. Sleep disorders can lead to serious health problems like heart disease, depression or diabetes, so it's important to discuss sleep problems with your doctor.
Our Sleep Medicine Specialists Get to the Source of Your Sleep Problems
Many different factors contribute to sleep disorders: breathing problems, psychological problems, physical discomfort, shift work. So at SLUCare, we've assembled a team of sleep medicine doctors from different specialties to evaluate your symptoms and offer the right treatment for your needs.
Our Sleep Medicine Team
- Joseph R. Espiritu, MD, FAASM, pulmonologist and director of the Sleep Disorders Center
- Patricia Dettenmeier, ANP, DNP, director of the CPAP Adherence Clinic
- Joshua Hentzelman, MD, otolaryngologist offering Alternatives to CPAP
- Julie Sahrmann, DO, family medicine physician and specialist in adult and pediatric sleep disorders
- Rocio Zeballos-Chavez, MD, pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist
Why SLUCare Sleep Disorders Center?
SLUCare Sleep Disorders Center is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine — the gold standard in sleep medicine services. Through our collaborative approach, we provide comprehensive treatment for all types of sleep disorders, including:
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Insomnia
- Restless legs syndrome
- Narcolepsy
- Circadian rhythm disorder (shift work disorder)
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Sleepwalking
CPAP Adherence Clinic
A CPAP machine can effectively treat sleep apnea, but only if used correctly and consistently. In our CPAP Adherence Clinic, patients learn how to comfortably use a CPAP machine to breathe easier during sleep.
Alternatives to CPAP
When a sleep apnea patient struggles with initial treatment options, our doctors work together to find a more effective solution. For some patients, surgery offers long-awaited relief.
What to Expect from a Sleep Study
During a sleep study at SLUCare Sleep Disorders Center, you'll stay in a room optimized for your comfort with a Sleep Number Bed, digital cable and individually controlled air conditioning. As you sleep, certified sleep technicians will monitor your eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, breathing, airflow, blood oxygen levels and any unusual nighttime behaviors. We'll use the results to diagnose the cause and severity of your sleep problems.
One of our physicians will evaluate the data from your study and inform you of the results before you leave the center, so treatment can begin as soon as possible and you can return to healthy, restorative sleep.
Contact Us
For more information or to schedule a sleep evaluation or referral, please contact the SLUCare Sleep Disorders Center at 314-97-SLEEP (7-5337).
