Sacred Heart Hospital's Senior Service's program will present a free seminar on sleep apnea, on Thursday, July 23, from 12 - 1 p.m. in the Rehabilitation Center at Sacred Heart Medical Park in Pace.

The seminar will presented by Dr. David Phillips, a board-certified pulmonologist with the Pensacola Lung Group. The talk will discuss the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea as well as treatment options.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, millions of Americans may be affected with sleep apnea, which can cause oxygen levels in the blood to fall and may lead to pulmonary hypertension. In many cases of sleep apnea, breathing actually stops for up to ten seconds or longer at a time. This can occur when muscles in the mouth and throat relax and obstruct the airway or when the diaphragm and chest muscles stop working correctly. Whenever this happens, the sleeper then wakes up gasping for air.

Registration is required and seating is limited. To register, call (850) 416-1620 or 1-877-416-1620.

Sacred Heart Medical Park at Pace provides diagnostic, rehabilitation, and outpatient surgery services to the Pace community, as well as family practice, OB/GYN and other specialty physician's offices. The facility is located on the north side of U.S. 90 in Pace, between Woodbine Road and Chumuckla Highway.

Sacred Heart SENIORSpirit! is a free program for persons 55 and older.  Benefits include free screenings, seminars, special in-patient benefits such as a three free guest meal tickets (up to $5) per hospital admission, a monthly calendar of events detailing all SENIORSpirit!  events, and a quarterly newsletter containing health and event information.

For more information on senior services at Sacred Heart, please call (850) 416-1620 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

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