Special to

L’Observateur

 

LUTCHER — Medical officials say sleep apnea can become serious if untreated, leading St. James Parish Hospital to tout its Sleep Disorders Center as a possible solution. 

The test requires patients to spend the night in a private room. During the sleep test, electrodes and sensors monitor a patient’s brain waves, cardiac rhythms, oxygen levels and respiration.

For most patients, one overnight stay is all that is needed to determine the sleep disorder and its cause.

Untreated, sleep apnea raises the risk of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, irregular heart rhythms, heart attack, stroke, memory loss, vehicle accidents and even death. For more information, call 225-869-9648.