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Sleep Disorder Specialist
A Sleep disorder specialist (SDS) is a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT-SDS) that has successfully passed the certification examination NBRC-SDS. The respiratory therapist may also be a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT-SDS) under certain conditions.National Board of Respiratory Care, CRT-SDS Examination application, 2011 The sleep disorder specialist scores and performs polysomnography and also assists in diagnosing and preparing a treatment plan for the condition. Some of the conditions the sleep disorder specialist helps evaluate and treat are; insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy. See also * Respiratory therapy * Certified Respiratory Therapist *American Association of Sleep Technologists The American Association of Sleep Technologists (AAST) is an organization that promotes the interests of sleep technologists. It promotes standardized education for sleep technicians, sleep technologists and sleep center managers. It spends resour ... R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Registered Respiratory Therapist
A respiratory therapist is a specialized healthcare practitioner trained in critical care and cardio-pulmonary medicine in order to work therapeutically with people who have acute critical conditions, cardiac and pulmonary disease. Respiratory therapists graduate from a college or university with a degree in respiratory therapy and have passed a national board certifying examination. The NBRC (National Board for Respiratory Care) is responsible for credentialing as a CRT ( certified respiratory therapist), or RRT ( registered respiratory therapist), The specialty certifications of respiratory therapy include: CPFT and RPFT (Certified or Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist), ACCS (Adult Critical Care Specialist), NPS (Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist), and SDS (Sleep Disorder Specialist). Respiratory therapists work in hospitals in the intensive care units (Adult, Pediatric, and Neonatal), on hospital floors, in emergency departments, in pulmonary functioning laboratories ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Certified Respiratory Therapist
A Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT), formerly Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician (CRTT), is a therapist who has graduated from a respiratory therapy program at a university or college and has passed a national certification exam. A CRT or RRT is typically expected to adjust, modify or recommend therapeutic techniques within well-defined procedures based on a limited range of patient responses. In the healthcare setting, usually required supervision by a physician experienced in respiratory care. ;History *1988 - Certification exam reduced from 200 to 140 questions *1994 - Number of options reduced from 5 to 4 within items on the Certification and Therapist Written Examinations *1999 - CRTT transitioned to CRT, “Therapist” replaced “Technician” in the title *2000 - Computer administrations, results on the day of testing From the 1980s through the 2000s, 49 states passed legislation relying on results from the certification examination as a central component in the r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polysomnography
Polysomnography (PSG), a type of sleep study, is a multi-parameter study of sleep and a diagnostic tool in sleep medicine. The test result is called a polysomnogram, also abbreviated PSG. The name is derived from Greek and Latin roots: the Greek πολύς (''polus'' for "many, much", indicating many channels), the Latin ''somnus'' ("sleep"), and the Greek γράφειν (''graphein'', "to write"). Type I polysomnography is a sleep study performed overnight while being continuously monitored by a credentialed technologist. It records the physiological changes that occur during sleep, usually at night, though some labs can accommodate shift workers and people with circadian rhythm sleep disorders who sleep at other times. The PSG monitors many body functions, including brain activity ( EEG), eye movements (EOG), muscle activity or skeletal muscle activation ( EMG), and heart rhythm ( ECG)1. After the identification of the sleep disorder sleep apnea in the 1970s, the breathing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Insomnia
Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy, irritability, and a depressed mood. It may result in an increased risk of motor vehicle collisions, as well as problems focusing and learning. Insomnia can be short term, lasting for days or weeks, or long term, lasting more than a month. The concept of the word insomnia has two possibilities: insomnia disorder and insomnia symptoms, and many abstracts of randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews often underreport on which of these two possibilities the word insomnia refers to. Insomnia can occur independently or as a result of another problem. Conditions that can result in insomnia include psychological stress, chronic pain, heart failure, hyperthyroidism, heartburn, restless leg syndrome, menopause, certain medication ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea, also spelled sleep apnoea, is a sleep disorder in which pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep occur more often than normal. Each pause can last for a few seconds to a few minutes and they happen many times a night. In the most common form, this follows loud snoring. There may be a choking or snorting sound as breathing resumes. Because the disorder disrupts normal sleep, those affected may experience sleepiness or feel tired during the day. In children, it may cause hyperactivity or problems in school. Sleep apnea may be either obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), in which breathing is interrupted by a blockage of air flow, central sleep apnea (CSA), in which regular unconscious breath simply stops, or a combination of the two. OSA is the most common form. OSA has four key contributors; these include a narrow, crowded, or collapsible upper airway, an ineffective pharyngeal dilator muscle function during sleep, airway narrowing during sleep a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis-Ekbom disease (WED), is generally a long-term disorder that causes a strong urge to move one's legs. There is often an unpleasant feeling in the legs that improves somewhat by moving them. This is often described as aching, tingling, or crawling in nature. Occasionally, arms may also be affected. The feelings generally happen when at rest and therefore can make it hard to sleep. Due to the disturbance in sleep, people with RLS may have daytime sleepiness, low energy, irritability and a depressed mood. Additionally, many have limb twitching during sleep. RLS is not the same as habitual foot tapping or leg rocking. Risk factors for RLS include low iron levels, kidney failure, Parkinson's disease, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy and celiac disease. A number of medications may also trigger the disorder including antidepressants, antipsychotics, antihistamines, and calcium channel blockers. There are two main ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a long-term neurological disorder that involves a decreased ability to regulate sleep–wake cycles. Symptoms often include periods of excessive daytime sleepiness and brief involuntary sleep episodes. About 70% of those affected also experience episodes of sudden loss of muscle strength, known as cataplexy. Narcolepsy paired with cataplexy is evidenced to be an autoimmune disorder. These experiences of cataplexy can be brought on by strong emotions. Less commonly, there may be vivid hallucinations or an inability to move ( sleep paralysis) while falling asleep or waking up. People with narcolepsy tend to sleep about the same number of hours per day as people without, but the quality of sleep tends to be lessened. Narcolepsy is a clinical syndrome of hypothalamic disorder, however, the exact cause of narcolepsy is unknown, with potentially several causes. In up to 10% of cases, there is a family history of the disorder. Often, those affected have low levels o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Respiratory Therapy
A respiratory therapist is a specialized healthcare practitioner trained in critical care and cardio-pulmonary medicine in order to work therapeutically with people who have acute critical conditions, cardiac and pulmonary disease. Respiratory therapists graduate from a college or university with a degree in respiratory therapy and have passed a national board certifying examination. The NBRC (National Board for Respiratory Care) is responsible for credentialing as a CRT ( certified respiratory therapist), or RRT ( registered respiratory therapist), The specialty certifications of respiratory therapy include: CPFT and RPFT (Certified or Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist), ACCS (Adult Critical Care Specialist), NPS (Neonatal/Pediatric Specialist), and SDS (Sleep Disorder Specialist). Respiratory therapists work in hospitals in the intensive care units (Adult, Pediatric, and Neonatal), on hospital floors, in emergency departments, in pulmonary functioning laboratories ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American Association Of Sleep Technologists
The American Association of Sleep Technologists (AAST) is an organization that promotes the interests of sleep technologists. It promotes standardized education for sleep technicians, sleep technologists and sleep center managers. It spends resources defending the profession of sleep technology from legislative threats. It is a major provider of continuing education credits (CECs) for RPSGTs and CPSGTs. The AAST also holds an annual meeting, several days long, which provides sleep technologists to meet and also earn a number of CECs. ''A2Zzz'' is the quarterly publication of the AAST. It provides news and articles about subjects related to polysomnography Polysomnography (PSG), a type of sleep study, is a multi-parameter study of sleep and a diagnostic tool in sleep medicine. The test result is called a polysomnogram, also abbreviated PSG. The name is derived from Greek and Latin roots: the Gre .... ''A2Zzz'' also provides the opportunity for RPSGTs and CPSGTs to earn 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allied Health Professions
Allied health professions are health care professions distinct from optometry, dentistry, nursing, medicine, and pharmacy. They provide a range of diagnostic, technical, therapeutic, and support services in connection with health care. Definition In 2012, the International Chief Health Professions Officers defined the allied health professions: Professions Depending on the country and local health care system, a limited subset of the following professions (professional areas) may be represented, and may be regulated: The precise titles, roles and requisites of allied health professionals may vary considerably from country to country. A generic definition for the United States is in the Public Health Service Act. Excluded professions The Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions uses wording from the Public Health Service Act to list those who are and are not allied health professionals in the United States. Those professionals who are excluded are thos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pulmonary Function Testing
Pulmonary function testing (PFT) is a complete evaluation of the respiratory system including patient history, physical examinations, and tests of pulmonary function. The primary purpose of pulmonary function testing is to identify the severity of pulmonary impairment. Pulmonary function testing has diagnostic and therapeutic roles and helps clinicians answer some general questions about patients with lung disease. PFTs are normally performed by a pulmonary function technician, respiratory therapist, respiratory physiologist, physiotherapist, pulmonologist, or general practitioner. Indications Pulmonary function testing is a diagnostic and management tool used for a variety of reasons, such as: * Diagnose lung disease. * Monitor the effect of chronic diseases like asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, or cystic fibrosis. * Detect early changes in lung function. * Identify narrowing in the airways. * Evaluate airway bronchodilator reactivity. * Show if environmental fac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
