Greater Tri State Sleep Center Provides In-home Sleep Studies
By Daniel Casciato

Do you snore? Are you exceptionally tired during the day? Do you have insomnia? If so, you might be a good candidate for a sleep study to determine if you have sleep apnea. However, if the thought of going to a study lab and spending a night away from home trying to sleep is enough to deter you, that's where Greater Tri State Sleep Center can help.

GTSSC has been specializing in home sleep studies for eight years and is the number one home sleep study in the Pittsburgh area, according to Kelly Phillips, Director of Operations. Phillips said the testing is non-invasive and can be done in the privacy of your own home, and the benefit of being at home is that the patient can get a better night's sleep.

"The equipment is battery operated, so they can get up to use the rest room, they can sleep in their own bed, they can have the TV on, their bed partner can be in the room, it's not going to be affected by any outside factors. They get into their different stages of sleep, and they have a higher likelihood of getting their REM sleep if they're testing at home vs. in the lab."

Kelly Phillips, Director of Operations at Greater Tri State Sleep Center, said anyone who snores, has extreme daytime fatigue, high blood pressure, or other symptoms, should look into the study as a screener. "Doing a home sleep study is very similar to having your blood checked to see if you have low thyroid levels or high cholesterol. It's a screening tool that's either going to diagnose the problem or rule out the problem."

Phillips added that the sensors used for the home tests are the same ones used in the lab to check breathing patterns. "We are confident that the sensors are doing the correct thing. We've actually tested patients in our lab as well as with the home study, and the results for sleep apnea are spot-on to one another. So we feel confident in the home sleep study results, based on our research."

To make the situation even more convenient, GTSSC will deliver the equipment right to your door. Phillips explained that after the need for a study has been established by your physician, "We call the patient and make arrangements to ship the equipment out through the U.S. mail, or it can be picked up in our office. We go over what to expect – they wear three sensors for two nights of testing." The sensors include one around chest with an adjustable Velcro belt, one on the tip of the finger like a doctor uses to record oxygen levels, and a sensor that looks like an oxygen cannula, worn in the nostril. "Overall, it's a 10-day turnaround time to get the results."

Phillips said approximately 85 percent of those taking the study are discovered to have sleep apnea, and a definite correlation has been found between sleep apnea and heart attacks, stroke, high blood pressure, and even death. Getting tested is important!

For more information, call (724) 255-4625 or visit www.gtssc.com.

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