Barbara A. Phillips, MD, MSPH, FCCP, is a sleep medicine pulmonologist board-certified in internal medicine and pulmonary medicine, with an interest in the effects of sleep apnea on performance and outcomes, genetic risk factors for sleep apnea, nonpharmacologic treatment of sleep apnea and sleep in aging. Dr. Phillips is the Immediate Past President of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST); a Professor of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine; and Medical Director of the Sleep Laboratory at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Dr. Phillips chaired the National Sleep Foundation and has served on the boards of the American Lung Association, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Board of Sleep Medicine. In 2011, Dr. Phillips received the Excellence in Education Award from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Dr. Phillips also received the Sleep Academic Award from the National Institutes of Health and was presented with the College Medalist Award at CHEST 2013.
Areas of expertise
- Sleep apnea
- Healthy sleep
- Treatment for sleep disorders
- Lifestyle and sleep
- Sleep deprivation
- Importance of sleep for mothers
- Sleep and occupational risks (commercial drivers)
Key facts
- More than 18 million American adults have sleep apnea. (Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
- There are a number of factors that increase risk for sleep apnea, including the following:
- Having a small upper airway (or large tongue, tonsils or uvula).
- Being overweight.
- Having a recessed chin, small jaw, large overbite, a large neck size (17 inches or greater in a man, or 16 inches or greater in a woman).
- Smoking and alcohol use.
- Being age 40 or older.
- Ethnicity (African-Americans, Pacific-Islanders and Hispanics).
- Also, OSA seems to run in some families, suggesting a possible genetic basis. (Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
- Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They may occur 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound. (Source: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute)
- Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually can't detect the condition during routine office visits. Also, no blood test can help diagnose the condition. (Source: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute)
- Most people who have sleep apnea don't know they have it because it only occurs during sleep. A family member or bed partner might be the first to notice signs of sleep apnea. (Source: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute)
- The lack of oxygen caused by sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, prediabetes, diabetes and depression. (Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
Dr. Phillips on the topic of sleep
“Three tips for a better night sleep: (1) make sleep a priority; (2) make the environment conducive to sleep—dark, cold and quiet; (3) avoid drugs and substances that interrupt sleep.”
“At the heart of it, this issue is about patient care and outcomes. There simply aren’t enough board-certified sleep specialists to manage the 10% to 15% of our population who has sleep-disordered breathing. I think pulmonologists need to take sleep apnea back!” Sleep Review, Feb 2016
“The Multiple Sleep Latency Test is not it!” Phillips says. She adds, “A huge elephant in the room, at least from my point of view, is we still don’t know what sleep apnea is or how best to measure it. It will remain difficult to assess epidemiology, consequences, or treatment effects for sleep apnea until that is done. Personally, I think the AHI is a very flawed metric.” Sleep Review, Feb 2016
Phillips states, “Frankly, I don’t think that either sleeping pills or insomnia is particularly dangerous; I think it is the characteristics of people who report insomnia and who use sleeping pills chronically that lead to the adverse outcomes reported. This issue needs careful study.” Sleep Review, Feb 2016
"The timing of exercise ought to be driven by when the pool's lap lane is open, or when your tennis partner is available or when you have time to get away from work," [because exercise is so important for good sleep and good health.] (p 202, The Sleep Revolution, 2016)
Dr. Phillips video and article samples
“Working With Current Sleep Apnea Treatments While Looking to The Future” MD Magazine TV
“Managing Central Sleep Apnea With Advancements in Treatments of Obstructive Sleep Apnea” MD Magazine TV
“Weighing the Benefits of Home Sleep Studies” MD Magazine TV
“Living and Breathing Sleep” Sleep Review
“Barbara Phillips, MD, Elected President of American College of Chest Physicians” Sleep Review