Sleep Studies at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation

At Palo Alto Medical Foundation’s Sleep Medicine Centers, our doctors and sleep-testing technologists combine their expertise to help you discover the source of your sleep disturbance.

You may see doctors from several specialties during your testing and treatment, in Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT), internal medicine, neurology and pulmonology specialists. Our specialists and extensive diagnostic capabilities ensure you receive an accurate diagnosis that will lead to effective treatment.

Your treatment plan will move through three phases: consultation, testing and follow-up.

Consultation

Before coming to the Sleep Medicine Center, you first must consult with your primary care doctor. Your doctor will give you a complete physical, checking your height, weight, and blood pressure.

You will then have a consultation with the sleep medicine doctor, who will develop a treatment plan. After that, you will undergo a sleep study, such as a polysomnogram, to evaluate how your body functions during sleep.

Testing

After your consultation, you may be asked to come in for diagnostic and/or therapeutic tests. Diagnostic tests are done at the sleep clinic and are designed to help determine whether or not you have a sleep disorder. Here are some of the tests we may perform:

• Polysomnogram — A diagnostic sleep study performed in the clinic that measures activities of the brain, heart, muscles, and limbs, as well as breathing, blood oxygen levels and esophageal pressure. It is used to evaluate sleep stages and diagnose sleep disorders.
• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Titration — A therapeutic sleep study performed at the clinic. Your sleep is monitored while you are on CPAP therapy to determine the effectiveness of your sleep disorder treatment.
• Split-night polysomnogram/CPAP — Combines polysomnogram and CPAP. The diagnostic part is done for three hours and then you are put on CPAP for the remainder of the study.
• Mean Sleep Latency Test — Performed as a series of naps to assess daytime sleepiness.
• Maintenance of Wakefulness Test — Used to measure the your level of alertness during the day. It shows whether or not you are able to stay awake for a defined period of time.
• Home testing

Follow-up

Once your test is complete, the record of your sleep test will be analyzed by a technologist and interpreted by a physician. Your results will be available in about three weeks. A copy of the report will be sent to you and your referring doctor.

If you were referred to the Sleep Center only for testing, please schedule a follow-up appointment with your referring doctor to discuss the test results and treatment options. If you are continuing treatment at the sleep center, a PAMF sleep medicine doctor will discuss your test results and treatment options with you.