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Filling the Lungs with Good Stuff
Respiratory Therapist
Addresses Philadelphia (nov. 18, 2000) - Steve Hackman, a respiratory therapist, will be the guest speaker at the December 13, 2000 Awake In Philly Sleep Disorders Support Group meeting. Awake is an acronym for Alert, Well, And Keeping Energetic. "Oxygen Therapy and Selection" will be the topic for this month's meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., with refreshments available from 6:30 p.m. for those attending the meeting. The meeting will be held in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania's Surgical Conference Room, located in the White Building. Entering through the main entrance, turn right immediately once inside the lobby and proceed down the hallway. For detailed directions, someone at the Information Desk, located in the main lobby, can assist. Oxygen is an invisible gas that's present in the air we breathe. In fact, oxygen's an essential element to sustain life. When we take a breath, oxygen enters the lungs and goes into the blood. However, there are some people who suffer various problems and their lungs are unable to transfer the oxygen into the bloodstream. For these people, an oxygen therapy program could be a lifesaving option. There are many diseases and conditions where oxygen therapy may be useful. Many infants, children, and adults have benefited from oxygen therapy for acute health care needs, but also for chronic lung conditions. Oxygen therapy is used to bring oxygen levels in the blood to what's considered normal levels during sleep, rest, various activities, or during times where someone may be affected by an acute illness. Oxygen therapy offers many benefits, such as assisting with the growth and development in children with chronic lung conditions. In adults with chronic lung disease, studies have shown that long-term oxygen therapy has improved the overall quality, as well as the length of their lives. Many people who suffer sleep disorders often experience a decrease in blood oxygen levels. Others experienced lung damage from untreated sleep apnea, for example, or may have emphysema or another lung disease, and require oxygen therapy for an extended time, or possibly for life. For some, oxygen therapy may be used for a few days once treatment has begun. Sleep disorders are more prevalent than most people believe. Researchers in sleep medicine believe one in every five people has at least one sleep disorder. Those disorders include:
Sleep disorders, which contribute to the national sleep debt, are more prevalent than most people realize. In fact, it's estimated that approximately one in every five people suffers from at least one sleep disorder. Sleep apnea, narcolepsy, periodic leg movements, and insomnia are just a few of the many sleep disorders that can, and do, rob us of the sleep we need. Robbing us of the sleep we need, sleep disorders are disturbances of sleep and wakefulness that can produce disruptive and devastating effects in a person's life. Sleep disorders, especially apnea, impact people's lives in many ways, including excessive daytime sleepiness, heart and lung damage, increased risk of stroke and high blood pressure, memory loss, the potential for greater involvement in traffic accidents because of tiredness, sexual dysfunction, mood swings, a decrease in productivity, weight gain, among others. Steve serves as the senior vice president for sales at medical director of Alpine Medical, a Bensalem, PA-based home health care company. He has worked as a registered respiratory therapist since 1977, and has experience in acute hospital settings, as well as home health care. Following his graduation from Lansdale's Christopher Dock High School, Steve attended Eastern Mennonite University, earning his bachelor's degree in 1973. He then attended the University of Chicago Hospital and Clinics Respiratory program in 1974. In addition to his normal duties at work, Steve also serves as the secretary for the Case Management Society of America, and volunteers time each summer at the Ventilator Camp for Children, as well as the Asthma Camp for Children. He was also involved in the planning stage of Awake In Philly, and continues to provide guidance for the group. Sponsors for Awake In Philly, in alphabetical order, include Alpine Medical, Bensalem, PA.; B.F. Ascher & Co., Inc.; Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, Inc.; Penn Center for Sleep Disorders; Respironics, Inc.; SleepNet Corp.; and TalkAboutSleep.com. The University of Pennsylvania is conveniently located on several SEPTA bus and trolley routes, as well as being conveniently located near SEPTA train stations, as well. For public transportation to Penn, please contact SEPTA at 215-580-7800 or visit the SEPTA website at http://www.septa.org. Awake In Philly is one of more than 200 local support groups in the national Awake network, which is affiliated with the American Sleep Apnea Association, based in Washington, D.C. Awake groups are designed to offer support to anyone who must deal with the impact of sleep apnea or other disorders, including the patient, the spouse, a co-worker or supervisor, researchers, physicians, attorneys, among others. Everyone is encouraged to attend the meetings.
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As of October
1, 2002 at
11:27:08 AM EDT (-0500), the U.S. population was obstructive sleep apnea, that means there are potentially 14,409,072 apneics in the U.S.
As of October
1, 2002 at
11:27:08 AM EDT (-0500), the world
population was 312,680,829 apneics in the world.
If you have questions about any of the medical conditions mentioned on this website, especially if you suspect that you (or someone you know) has sleep apnea, please contact a qualified medical professional immediately. The information is intended to provide support, guidance, and encouragement to others contending with the many challenges of sleep disorders. The goals of Awake In Philly are to support, educate, and inform those who feel the impact of sleep disorders, as well as the general public. Medical advice should only come from qualified, licensed, and trained health-care professionals.
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