By Kyle LoJacono
Many from Tampa and other large places might describe Zephyrhills as a “sleepy little town” and a couple medical ventures are working to keep it that way.
Pasco Regional Medical Center’s Sleep Center has been treating multiple types of sleep disorders since it opened in 1998 and Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Sleep Center saw its first patients on Sept. 8.
Dr. Juan Cevallos, medical director at Pasco Regional’s Sleep Center, has been treating the problems since 1993 in east Pasco County.
“The technology for diagnosis has changed a lot,” Cevallos said. “When I started we did paper tracings of people’s sleep which were hundreds of pages long. Each page was 30 seconds of the eight hours someone slept. Then we had to review everything. Today it’s all on the computers and we can analyze it better.”
Cevallos said the center moved to its new location in Zephyrhills three years ago because it is a better facility to treat sleep disorders. He also worked with another sleep center affiliated with Florida Hospital Zephyrhills for about 4 years before joining Pasco Regional. It currently sees about 1,000 patients each year.
Dr. Amir Quefatieh is the medical director for Florida Hospital Zephyrhills new facility. He’s been treating sleep disorders for eight years and came to Zephyrhills from Delaware.
“You hear incredible stories about how problems sleeping were destroying people’s lives,” Quefatieh said. “People overlook sleep, but it’s very important to overall health to get quality sleep every day.”
Both doctors started their training in pulmonary medicine and Quefatieh’s pulmonary critical care facility is attached to the Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Sleep Center.
“Problems with sleep usually lead to problems with the lungs, heart and circulation,” Quefatieh said. “It was a natural thing to progress to because the two problems are so closely related.”
Quefatieh said many other conditions, like fibromyalgia and decreased immune systems are likely associated with poor quality of sleep.
Cevallos said about 30 and 40 percent of people have some kind of sleep disorder, of which there are many types. The three most common treated are sleep apnea, random leg movement and disrupted sleep caused by chronic pain. The latter two are treated with medications, while apnea is the most common and requires other techniques.
“Sleep apnea means people stop breathing while sleeping because the airway is blocked from the tongue or back of the throat, which wakes them up but can also cause death in rare cases,” Cevallos said.
Quefatieh said death from sleep apnea is not possible, but the strain on the heart from years of the problem can cause fatal heart attacks or strokes.
Other major problems associated with not getting enough sleep are not being able to remember things or concentrate, making more mistakes on normal tasks and falling asleep during daily activities.
Steve Conomy, technical director for Pasco Regional’s center, said some of the more scary stories he hears from people are when they fall asleep while driving. He said it most happens while stopped at traffic lights and usually lasts only a few seconds, but people can also nod off while actively driving.
“It’s really scary to think about.” Conomy said. “You can be driving and the next minute get into an accident without even knowing what happened.”
There are three ways to treat sleep apnea. Both doctors said the one they believe in the most is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). A device goes over the nose and/or mouth and blows air into the openings to keep the airway open. The testing and calibration of the CPAP can usually be done in one-two stays.
Other methods include surgery to remove unnecessary parts of the esophagus like the uvula and tonsils to open the airway. The last option is to use a mouthguard-like device to hold the jaw forward, which can also open the airway.
Both doctors said CPAP’s are the most effective method of treatment. Quefatieh said younger people also opt for surgery so they do not have to wear the device their whole life.
Both sleep facilities are set up to diagnose four people at a time, including rooms for handicapped and/or larger patients. Spouses can also stay with the patient to keep them calm at Pasco Regional’s lab.
“We’ve learned a lot of people can’t sleep without their spouse or partner with them, so we let them stay together to make them more comfortable,” Conomy said. “Also the rooms are set up so when the lights are off it is so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face. That lets people fall asleep quickly.”
Things like wires that might scare some people are also hidden from the patient’s view. Cindy Higgins, administrator for Florida Hospital Zephyrhills’ center, said every step was taken to make the room feel like a hotel. They even fold towels in the shape of a swan and leave it on the patient’s bed.
“Anyone can have a sleep disorder, but it is a definitely a disease for people in their 40s or later,” Cevallos said. “We have an older population here in Zephyrhills and east Pasco, so it’s something that can really help people in the area.
Quefatieh said the kind of disorder common in younger people usually are caused by poor sleep hygiene, such as consuming caffeine or alcohol, exercising or working to late in the evening. For more information on sleep disorders or how to get a more restful night’s sleep, visit www.sleepfoundation.org.
Florida Hospital Zephyrhills’ Sleep Center
Opened Sept. 8
7209 Green Slope Drive in Zephyrhills
(813) 788-0705
www.fhzeph.com
Pasco Regional’s Sleep Center
6233 Abbott Station Drive in Zephyrhills
(813) 783-1866
www.pascoregionalmc.com
