ABSTRACT
Ridhwan Y. Baba Department of Neurology, Sleep-Wake Disorders Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
Imran M. Ahmed
Department of Neurology, Sleep-Wake Disorders Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
Shelby Harris
Department of Neurology, Sleep-Wake Disorders Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
Michael J. Thorpy
Department of Neurology, Sleep-Wake Disorders Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
Corresponding author: Michael J. Thorpy MD, Sleep-Wake Disorders Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 111 East 210th Street, Bronx, New York, 10467, USA. Email: michael.thorpy@einstein.yu.edu. Tel.: +1-718-920-4841, Fax: +1-718-798-4352
ABSTRACT
There have always been sleep disorders, many of which have been recognized for centuries and some of our treatments have even been dated from the decades ago. In the last 20 years, however, there has been a dramatic increase in knowledge about sleep disorders and their treatments. It is now possible to objectively diagnose most sleep disorders and new, specific treatments can be instituted. The recent recognition of chronobiology has led us to be able to explain alterations in the sleep-wake pattern of humans. Genetic causes of sleep disorders, such as advanced sleep phase syndrome have shed new light on disorders that were previously believed to be primarily associated with an individual’s behavior. Neurochemical changes have led to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of some disorders such as narcolepsy. Despite advances in our understanding of sleep disorders, however, accurate diagnosis and treatment always requires a detailed understanding of the patient’s sleep-wake and medical history. The art of good sleep
medicine still lies in the ability of the clinician to take a thorough history, develop a differential diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan. This chapter details the important elements of the clinical evaluation.
