The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 17 COVID patients today, 19 last Friday. Other significant numbers:
• 7 with the active virus today, 8 Friday
• 1 in ICU, 1 Friday
• 1 on a ventilator, 1 Friday
Key points from today’s guests:
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, The University of Kansas Health System
- Sleep issues could be caused by bad habits, but it could also be caused by medical issues.
- Stress in life can also contribute to getting a good night’s sleep.
- One-third of our life is spent on sleep, so it is very important for good health. It’s how the body repair itself each day.
Ron Hoffman, sleep apnea patient
- Ron had serious health problems as a result of poor sleep.
- He used a CPAP machine and other devices, but it did not help.
- Ron underwent a procedure to implant an upper airway stimulator.
- Treatment has changed his life and he highly recommends it.
Dr. Chris Larsen, otolaryngologist, The University of Kansas Health System
- Ron qualified for this procedure because he had severe sleep apnea – more than 15 events per hour. Every couple of minutes, he was starving his brain of oxygen and struggling to breath.
- For the upper airway stimulator, there are three components. In the first part, there's an electrode that's placed on the hypoglossal nerve -- the nerve that moves your tongue.
- And then that's tunneled to the chest where there's a power source.
- The third component is a sensor that's placed between the ribcage muscles which monitors respiratory effort, and so the three are connected to that pulse generator and then communicated with a handheld device to turn the device on and off when needed.
Dr. Damien Stevens, sleep medicine specialist and sleep lab medical director, The University of Kansas Health System
- There are many other non-surgical options other than CPAP machines that can be used to help with sleep issues – including bite guards and special shirts that help keep patients off of their backs.
- Having good sleep hygiene can also help. That includes regular bedtimes, avoiding late-night snacks, alcohol, reducing noise, and avoiding electronic devices.
- Sleep medicine is much more of a newer field in medicine than other specialties.
- Using home tests versus coming into sleep labs can help diagnose issues. Get yourself screened with a home sleep test and see if you need to be treated for sleep apnea because it can help with the longevity of your life.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director, infection prevention & control, The University of Kansas Health System
- Long COVID is still being seen in some patients.
- The FDA has given full approval of Paxlovid for COVID, and the government has a significant supply of this for patients infected with COVID.
- New monoclonal antibody treatments are also being studied for newer COVID strains.
Friday, June 2 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. A police officer diagnosed with cancer who didn’t think he wanted children is saved by his only son. Their compelling story of love and sacrifice on Friday.
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