Suspicion of Sleep Disorder by Specialty

Cardiologist

As a cardiologist, you may want to consider the possibility of sleep apnea if your patient suffers from one of the following cardiac disorders:

• Nocturnal or labile or treatment-resistant hypertension
• Coronary artery disease
• Unexplained atrial fibrillation
• Atrial fibrillation resistant to medications, electrical cardioversion or ablation therapy
• Unexplained pulmonary hypertension
• Dilated cardiomyopathy
• Unexplained congestive heart failure
• Unexplained diastolic dysfunction
• Neurocardiogenic syncope
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Unexplained fatigue
• Snoring

Neurologist

As a neurologist, you may want to consider the possibility of sleep apnea if your patient suffers from one of the following:

• Headaches
• Memory loss
• Movement disorder
• Neuromuscular disease
• Seizures
• Stroke
• Unexplained peripheral neuropathy
• Deterioration in vision
• Unexplained deterioration in results of neuro-psych testing
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Unexplained fatigue
• Snoring

Endocrinologist

As an endocrinologist, you may want to consider the possibility of sleep apnea if your patient suffers from one of the following:

• Morbid obesity
• Metabolic syndrome
• Brittle diabetes
• Hypothyroidism
• Pituitary tumor
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome
• Cushing’s disease or syndrome
• Snoring
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Unexplained fatigue

Pediatrician

As a pediatrician, you may want to consider the possibility of a sleep disorder if your patient suffers from one of the following:

• Snoring
• Difficulty waking up in the morning
• Falling asleep at school
• Deterioration in scholastic performance
• Headaches
• Recurrent URI
• Weight gain

Psychiatrist

As a psychiatrist, you may want to consider the possibility of a sleep disorder if your patient suffers from one of the following:

• Difficult-to-treat depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Childhood depression
• Childhood behavioral abnormalities
• Chronic fatigue
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Nonrefreshing sleep
• Snoring

Pain Physician

As a pain physician, you may want to consider the possibility of a sleep disorder if your patient suffers from one of the following:

• Nocturnal pain
• Nonrefreshing sleep
• Chronic fatigue
• Suboptimal response to treatment of pain
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Snoring

Dentist

As a dentist, you may want to consider the possibility of a sleep disorder if your patient suffers from one of the following:

• Nocturnal Bruxism (teeth grinding)
• Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
• Recurrent cavities
• Snoring
• Fatigue
• Nonrefreshing sleep

Rheumatologist

As a rheumatologist, you may want to consider the possibility of sleep apnea or another sleep disorder if your patient suffers from one of the following:

• Chronic fatigue
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Snoring
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) with suboptimal response to treatment
• Fibromyalgia syndrome or polymyalgia rheumatica

Anesthesiologist

As an anesthesiologist, you may want to consider the presence of sleep apnea, because chronic oxygen deprivation from sleep apnea may cause difficulty with recovery from anesthesia. Suspicion of sleep apnea should be entertained if your patient suffers from any of the conditions mentioned under all other specialties.

Surgeons & Orthopedists

As a surgeon or orthopedic physician, you may want to consider the possibility of sleep apnea in your patient if:

• History of snoring noted during pre-op clearance or pre-op questionnaires
• Any surgery, anesthesia or medications after surgery can worsen sleep apnea temporarily
• Morbid obesity
• Snoring, witnessed apnea or unexplained desaturation during sedation for a procedure
• Snoring, witnessed apnea or unexplained desaturation during recovery, or while in the hospital or rehabilitation center
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Fatigue

Internist

As an internist, you may want to consider possibility sleep apnea if any of the conditions listed in the various specialist sections apply.