Bonnie Boles, MD, Earns Certification in Sleep Medicine

Posted Date: 3/29/2012

Bonnie Boles, MD, FCCP, with Pulmonary and Critical Care of West Georgia, is now board-certified in sleep medicine.

Dr. Boles is already certified in pulmonary medicine and critical care medicine. In addition to serving as medical director of the intensive care unit (ICU) at Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica, Dr. Boles also is medical director of the Tanner Center for Sleep Disorders in Villa Rica.

She received her latest certification in sleep medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Boles also is active as a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the only professional society dedicated exclusively to the medical subspecialty of sleep medicine.

“Sleep disorders are something most people are not aware of, simply because they’re asleep when the disorder is causing problems,” said Dr. Boles. “A bed partner may be aware of symptoms, such as loud snoring, and the individual with the disorder may experience morning headaches and severe daytime sleepiness, but connecting it all requires a sleep study at a sleep center and a trained physician to review the study’s findings and provide recommendations for treatment.”

Along with morning headaches and daytime sleepiness, Dr. Boles said that sleep disorders—such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common sleep disorder in the nation—can lead to increased blood pressure and a higher risk for heart attack, stroke and death.

“Sleep disorders have long-term consequences,” said Dr. Boles. “Nodding off in the middle of a movie or meeting can be embarrassing, but severe daytime sleepiness also can lead to car accidents and other serious consequences. Plus, the wear that a lack of adequate rest causes on your body can lead to an early death.”

As the leading voice in the field of sleep medicine, the AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in health care, education and research. More than 10,000 physicians, researchers and healthcare professionals and 1,500 sleep centers are currently members of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Members specialize in studying, diagnosing and treating disorders of sleep and daytime alertness such as insomnia, narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea.

The AASM has accredited the Tanner Center for Sleep Disorders in Carrollton. Now that Dr. Boles has earned her certification in sleep medicine, the Tanner Center for Sleep Disorders in Villa Rica will be up for AASM’s consideration for accreditation. Both sleep centers offer private sleep rooms with comfortable, hotel-like amenities.

To learn more about the symptoms of a sleep disorder and sleep medicine at Tanner, go to “Sleep Disorders." To make an appointment to discuss ways to diagnose and treat a potential sleep disorder, call Pulmonary and Critical Care of West Georgia at 770.456.3380. More information is available on the practice's Web site. Pulmonary and Critical Care of West Georgia is part of Tanner Medical Group.

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