Sleepyhead or nar-co-lep-sy

House Calls

By Gerald W. Deas, M.D.

I have known folks who could go to sleep on a dime. They go to sleep immediately when they sit down, when driving, waiting for the light to turn red, when even talking to another person or writing a letter and when watching a performance. Friends and relatives usually refer to them as "sleepyheads."

This condition, known as Excessive Daily Sleepiness (EDS), is an illness that affects one in every 1,000 persons-250,000 Americans. It often is overlooked by the average physician. If, however, an adequate medical history is taken, the diagnosis becomes obvious. In many families, the afflicted person is taken lightly. EDS can occur at any age. It is a tragedy, however, that if it Is not diagnosed early, a person might live a very uneventful and unproductive life. I have personally known patients who lost their jobs because the condition was considered to due to laziness.

Excessive Daily Sleepiness can easily be diagnosed by a simple clinical sleep laboratory test. This test consists of placing sensory electrodes (which is not painful) on the scalp, behind the ears, the lower facial muscles and under the chin. The patient is seated in a recliner and allowed to take a nap. During the nap, electronic signals from the electrodes are fed into a computer determining whether the patient has EDS. There are not many sleep laboratories available and, often, the tests are not ordered. It is extremely important if one is suspected of having this condition that he or she go to an adequate medical facility where this test can be done. It is really a life saving procedure, which will enable a patient to have a full, productive life. I am sure that the test is not often done due to not being adequately covered by medical insurance.

At the present time, the cause of this condition is unknown. It has been suspected that it might be genetic or even an autoimmune disease. EDS presently is treated with certain stimulant medications such as amphetamines (Dexedrine), methamphetamines (Desoxyn) or methylphenidate (Ritalin).

It is important to make an early diagnoses of narcolepsy. If you desire further information you can contact the American Narcolepsy Association at P.O. Box 1187, San Carlos, CA 94070.

Remember, early intervention is the key to receiving the proper medical care to ensure a meaningful lifestyle that will profit you, your family and friends.

This is part of the June 20, 2007 online edition of Frost Illustrated.

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