Health City Cayman Islands recently opened the first Sleep Lab in the Cayman Islands to monitor, diagnose and treat sleep disorders, giving patients much needed rest and an improved quality of life.
Dr. Archita Joshi-Bhatt consultant pulmonologist and head of the Health City Sleep Lab said, “Many people are not getting enough good quality sleep and are suffering from sleep disorders – whether it’s insomnia which is difficulty falling or staying asleep, or disruptive snoring or choking, known as obstructive sleep apnoea.
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is estimated to affect about four percent of men and two percent of women, world-wide. More shocking is the estimate that only ten percent of people in the world with obstructive sleep apnoea are currently receiving treatment and many patients with sleep apnoea remain undiagnosed. One in five adults has mild OSA and one in 15 adults have moderate OSA. Nine percent of middle-aged women and twenty-five percent of middle-aged men suffer from OSA. Seventy-five percent of severe SDB cases remain undiagnosed and approximately one percent of all obstructive sleep apnoea patients are receiving treatment at the present time.

“Although no definite figures are presently available for the Caribbean region, in the last year of our practice here at Health City, a tertiary care Institute, my colleagues and I came across several patients who had high likelihood of sleep disordered breathing, either by itself or co-existing and complicating other medical conditions. Although some home sleep testing facilities are available on Island, patients requiring a more detailed analysis had to travel overseas. We found a burning need to address this deficiency,” Dr. Archita said.

The state-of-art sleep lab set up at Health City is an initiative to fill this lacuna and to provide world class facilities to diagnose sleep related problems and treat them right here on the Island. This sleep lab will not only convenience local patients and encourage medical tourism, but also generate research in the field of sleep medicine and give us much needed information on the prevalence of sleep related problems in the Caribbean population.

During the overnight stay at the Health City Cayman Islands Sleep Lab, a thorough, painless evaluation of the patient’s brain activity, airflow, eye and muscle reaction is conducted while he or she is asleep, along with all vital signs from blood pressure to oxygen saturation with a polysomnogram and electrodes. In addition to this, the Health City medical team will record snoring and track sleep positions with sensors in order to identify different types of breathing patterns and obstructions.
This information is then analysed and used to diagnose and treat various sleep disorders and ultimately help positively impact the patient’s sleep patterns and wellbeing.

“Patients who have undergone treatment at our Sleep Lab have reported significant improvements in energy levels, concentration, and performance. Research shows that better quality sleep can also help to maintain a healthy body weight and boost immunity, making you less prone to illness, depression and chronic disease,” Dr. Archita said.

People suffering from loud snoring, disruptive sleep, or waking with a headache or sore dry throat may be suffering from a sleep disorder and can contact the Health City Sleep Lab to obtain a professional diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Health City’s state-of-the-art facilities and experienced staff will contribute to a comfortable night’s sleep and peace of mind for sleep deprived sufferers.
To speak to a member of Health City’s Patient Care team and learn more about the Sleep Lab, call 1 (345) 945-4040, 1 (345) 640-4040 or visit www.healthcitycaymanislands.com

Photo caption: Dr. Archita Joshi-Bhatt consultant pulmonologist and head of the Health City Sleep Lab