EMPOWERED SLEEP APNEA

An exhaustive handbook on sleep apnea, written with a humorous edge.

McCarty, the former medical director of the Colorado Sleep Institute, and Stothard, the institute’s R&D director, have done a splendid job of combining scientific data, practical and straightforward advice, and zany, confident cartoons in this manual. It’s chock-full of useful information as it guides readers through expert opinions on diagnosis, appliances, surgeries, and such alternative therapies for sleep apnea as playing the didgeridoo and singing, as well as resources for further study. Overall, this is a truly thorough compendium, but at more than 300 pages in length, it might be lengthier than some want or need. The humorous tone and the whimsical black-and-white line-drawing cartoons by McCarty seem meant to provide balance to the extensive text. Some will find that they offer moments of welcome relief; for others, the cartoon adventures of the fictional Claudio Mahoney, who suffers from sleep apnea, may be a distraction. For those who desire a more straightforward transmission of information, the authors kindly oblige; starting with Chapter 78, they offer a summary of the most important points, followed by discussion of treatment trajectories, complications, and competing diagnoses along with case studies illustrating the numerous facets of sleep apnea and a list of medications and their effects. At one point, the authors explain their creative process, which involved turning the manuscript into a conversation to allow themselves to find their narrative voice—a rare and refreshing revelation in a medical guide. For students planning to specialize in this field, this book is a gold mine: a user-friendly textbook that’s well organized, friendly, and clear.

A wide-ranging and informative guide that may feel a bit overlong to some readers.