Talking Sleep AASM
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- Health & Fitness
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The vast field of sleep medicine is always evolving. Listen to Talking Sleep, a podcast of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), to keep up on the latest developments in clinical sleep medicine and sleep disorders. Our host, Dr. Seema Khosla, medical director of the North Dakota Center for Sleep in Fargo, will take an in-depth look at issues impacting the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. Episodes will feature conversations with clinicians, researchers, sleep team members and other health care experts working to help us sleep well so we can live well.
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OSA proteomics and metabolomics
We know that there are a billion people in the world with undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and that it simply isn’t practical to have every person undergo a sleep study. Are there other methods that might be more efficient identifying those at the highest risk of OSA? Dr. Laura Castillo is a chemist who has studied biological matrices to identify biomarkers for obstructive sleep apnea. Her research involves analyzing sweat and she has found that there are specific markers for those with severe OSA and those without any OSA. Dr. David Gozal has been working in this field for many years and has published extensively. He has also studied urine proteomics as a method to identify sleep disordered breathing in children.
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Acoustic stimulation for improving sleep
There are a handful of direct-to-consumer devices that claim to improve the quality of our sleep by using acoustic stimulation. What is the science behind these devices? Dr. Roneil Malkani is an associate professor of neurology in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. He collaborates with others to study acoustic stimulation during sleep and its impact on sleep architecture. He describes how these devices work and how clinicians should approach them.
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NIV and other considerations for the Philips Respironics PAP device recall
While CPAP devices are similar across manufacturers, there are more significant differences in the advanced modalities of ventilatory support. Dr. Lisa Wolfe is well known for her granular knowledge of mechanical ventilation, including noninvasive ventilation (NIV). She discusses some aspects of NIV that may become pertinent as both sleep labs and patients transition off devices recalled by Philips Respironics. She also addresses concerns related to patients who have complex conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), obesity hypoventilation syndrome, and neuromuscular disease.
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Neurotransmitters, insomnia pharmacotherapy and mental health
We know that CBT-I is the gold standard treatment for insomnia, but it remains inaccessible for many due to cost or the limited availability of trained professionals. For patients with comorbid mental health disorders, insomnia treatment may improve their sleep and mental health, but sleep restriction therapy may not be the most appropriate modality. Dr. Chris Bojrab is a psychiatrist who has embraced sleep care as a vehicle to improve the mental health of his patients, and he has expertise in neurotransmitters. He discusses pharmacologic treatment of insomnia and some important considerations in those with mental health disorders.
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Sleep, OSA and sickle cell disease
While sleep disorders are associated with numerous health complications, one area that doesn’t receive much attention is the impact of sleep and sleep disorders on those with sickle cell anemia. A study published in Sleep and Breathing found that children with sickle cell disease and comorbid obstructive sleep apnea had 47% more health complications than those with sickle cell disease who had a lower risk for OSA due to negative OSA screenings or exams. These complications seemed to be related to nocturnal hypoxia. Pain from a sickle crisis also can lead to sleep fragmentation. Dr. Sonal Malhotra discusses the many ways in which she tries to optimize sleep for her patients with sickle cell anemia.
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A Practical Approach to Treating RLS
Johns Hopkins colleagues Dr. Rachel Salas and Dr. Sara Benjamin discuss the basics of treating restless legs syndrome (RLS), focusing on an updated algorithm published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings in 2021 by the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation. Topics of discussion include pharmacological treatment options, the risk of augmentation, potential impulsivity, and non-pharmacologic treatments.
Customer Reviews
The episode on treating insomnia is phenomenal!!!!
Great mix of science and practicality!
Might have changed everything for me
This podcast is simultaneously really interesting to listen to and really well backed up and has some really credible experts. It’s hard to make a podcast that’s detailed enough to be useful to professionals and uses language that’s largely accessible to the public. And for me it may have changed my life. The episode “Sleep Disorders in Women” described exactly my situation and tipped me off about what I needed to talk to my doctor about to figure out why I wasn’t getting a clear diagnosis for my sleep problems. I haven’t started treatment but between that and other episodes, I’m going into my next appointment armed with very credible evidence to suggest a different approach. I’m already so grateful to understand more and if this helps even a little… well, like I said, this podcast will have changed my life, no exaggeration.
Sleep Medicine
This is an incredible podcast! The knowledge dropped here is pure gold!!