Medical Journal - Houston Page 6 April 2013
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TECHNOLOGY
DIAGNOSIS DEFINED
Applied Diagnostics is a fully integrated laboratory specializing in hematological malignancies and molecular diagnostics .
By performing all critical testing in its Houston facility , Applied Diagnostics ensures better :
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Specimen integrity Turnaround times , and Consultative support
Telesleep at Houston VA : a new source of support for veterans
The Michael E . DeBakey VA Medical Center ( MEDVAMC ) is providing care to Veterans with sleep related breathing disorders in its rural areas with telemedicine technologies .
Telesleep provides Veterans at the MEDVAMC community outpatient clinics in Lufkin , Beaumont , Conroe , Richmond , Lake Jackson , Galveston and Texas City with faster diagnosis and treatment options for sleep related breathing disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea .
home sleep testing can show definitively that sleep apnea is present and determine its severity .
Veterans who are identified by their primary care physicians as candidates for a sleep study are scheduled for a group diagnostic session at their respective clinic . The session is conducted through video conferencing with a sleep physician and a health technician at MEDVAMC . Each Veteran is assigned a home sleep testing kit and trained on how to properly use it for a period of sleep of at least 4-6 hours . The device is returned to the health care provider as soon as possible , and the data is extracted from the device and sent to the sleep physician for evaluation and diagnosis .
IHC Flow Cytometry Cytogenetics FISH Molecular Genetics CTC
For more information call Applied Diagnostics at 713-271-4133 or visit www . applieddiagnostics . com
Respiratory Therapist , St . Hilaire Saint Firmin , RRT , demonstrates the proper fitting for the Positive Airway Pressure ( PAP ) machine to Veterans at the outpatient clinics
1140 Business Center Drive , Houston TX 77043
Bayside Surgical and Medical Center 4001 Preston Avenue , Pasadena , Texas 77505
• Total Space Available : 12,790 SF
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For more information , please contact us at ( 713 ) 724-0859 todd @ groenrealtypartners . com www . groenrealtypartners . com
Obstructive sleep apnea ( OSA ) is one of the most common types of sleep disorders . It occurs when the upper airway becomes narrow as the upper airway muscles relax naturally during sleep . In OSA , breathing stops or becomes very shallow . This type of event may happen hundreds of times each and every night . This reduces oxygen in the blood and causes arousal from sleep . The low oxygen is the main reason for other medical problems such as heart diseases .
A major symptom is extremely loud snoring , sometimes so loud that bed partners find it intolerable . Other indications that sleep apnea may be present are obesity , persistent daytime sleepiness , bouts of awakening out of breath during the night , and frequently waking in the morning with a dry mouth or a headache . A patient with OSA usually wakes up feeling un-refreshed and tired . Only a sleep study in a sleep laboratory or
Upon diagnosis of OSA , if the patient ’ s OSA is not complicated by other illnesses , the Veteran returns to the clinic to receive their Positive Airway Pressure ( PAP ) machine . PAP is administered at night during sleep through a nasal or facial mask held in place by Velcro straps around the patient ’ s head . The mask is connected by a tube to a small fan-generated air flow machine about the size of a shoe box . The PAP machine increases air pressure in the throat so that the airway does not collapse when one breathes in . The air pressure is adjusted as needed after evaluation by the sleep physician .
“ Untreated , OSA is associated with high blood pressure , heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases , stroke , memory problems , weight gain , impotence , and headaches . Fortunately , sleep apnea can
Please see TECHNOLOGY page 15