Health

‘Am I Dying?’: Hospital Video Captures Man’s Shock Death During Sleep Study

If you’re from the Atlanta area and considering taking part in any medical studies, be sure to check whether sleep is involved — you might never wake up. Brandon Harris’ family recently found this out to their sorrow when the Atlanta man went to a sleep study at a nearby facility and ended up dead due to multiple disorders that made it risky for him to sleep on his back. The Huffington Post reports:

The last hours of Brandon Harris’ life were captured on film after the Atlanta man unexpectedly died during a routine sleep study.

MyFox Atlanta reports that Harris‘ family has filed a lawsuit against Emory Healthcare claiming that the hospital could have done more to prevent their loved one’s death.

The family told MyFox Atlanta that Harris, who was mentally handicapped, was “very overweight, and suffered from congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, diabetes and high blood pressure” and that those conditions made it risky for Harris to sleep on his back for long periods of time.

The Georgia legislature is now considering a bill regulating sleep study facilities following the unexpected death. Video of the strange event is below, courtesy of Fox 5 Atlanta:

Comments (107)

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  • Harryc123
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 8:26am

    Not to be insensitive given the situation, but did they have to include the mothers street name of “sunshine” in this video? Why must they all have streetnames?
    Pookie
    Sunshine
    Twobuck
    T-Bone
    hotwheelz
    the list goes on and on!

    Report Post » Harryc123  
    • BillyButt
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 10:55am

      T-bone was suppose to be George Costanza’s nickname!!!

      Report Post »  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 11:31am

      Seriously? Legislation to make the clinic responsible for someone else’s poor lifestyle choices?

      Hey, you’re in horrible health and it makes you miserable to sleep on your back. Would you liek $400 to participate in my study of your own free will? It requires that you sleep on your back. Of course, we won’t shoot you in the head if you flip us the bird and walk out the doors in the middle of the study, but if you want to force yourself to keep sleeping on your back to the point where you die, that’s your choice.

      The story is mildly interesting, but the after-effects demonstrate how quickly our populace jumps to the Progressive solution.

      Jaycen  
    • ivedonebeensassedbyawhore
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 11:43am

      Cliff from “Cheers” wanted his nickname to be “Big Shooter” …

      Report Post »  
    • inblack
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 12:48pm

      The court system is made for this.

      If the family believes that they were negligent and the medical group thinks they had no obligation to screen the candidates and the procedure they used they should take it to court. The other option is to settle out of court.

      Report Post »  
    • IndigoKidz
      Posted on May 13, 2012 at 3:07am

      SERIOUSLY??? More Legislation?? Wow! These politicians (& interesting that it was a Dem in the video) are POWER Hungry! If this guy had all of these issues, than why didn’t a family member stay w/ him? Why wasn‘t this info passed on to the tech’s? Not to mention that the guy appeared to be on his side in the video!

      So, these guys are going to sue this sleep study place, to recv compensation, due to health issues that the clinic had NO part in! And legislation will be enacted to tell what a sleep study has to do! IF, the techs had these records of the danger, then maybe the techs liable, but NOT legislation!

      Though I doubt that is the case. He was doing a sleep study to SEE if he suffered from apnea, which means this knowledge wasn’t known! Just INSANE! America is a Sue happy nation, Blaiming others, and as long as I get my pay out, who cares if these new laws & Regs will dictate over PRIVATE Businesses!! VERY SAD!!!

      Report Post »  
  • jujubeebee
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 8:26am

    Sleep study is a good thing. It can show if a person has sleep apnea and then steps can be taken to avoid problems with that. If this man had congestive heart failure he was probably too old at this point to endure many procedures or any operation for that matter. Anyone with that many health risks should not have taken part in this.

    Report Post »  
    • dontbotherme
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 9:09am

      @JUJUBEEBEE: I think the report said this man was 24 or 25 years old.

      Report Post »  
  • bree
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 8:17am

    I had a sleep study done and it saved my life.
    If you have a sleep study, surface electrodes will be put on your face and scalp and will send recorded electrical signals to the measuring equipment. These signals, which are generated by your brain and muscle activity, are then recorded digitally. Belts will be placed around your chest and abdomen to measure your breathing. A bandage-like oximeter probe will be put on your finger to measure the amount of oxygen in EEG (electroencephalogram) to measure and record brain wave activityyour blood.
    EMG (electromyogram) to record muscle activity such as face twitches, teeth grinding, and leg movements. It also helps in determining the presence of REM stage sleep.
    EOG (electro-oculogram) to record eye movements. These movements are important in determining the different sleep stages, particularly REM stage sleep.
    EKG (electrocardiogram) to record heart rate and rhythm.
    Nasal airflow sensor to record airflow
    re microphone to record snoring activity.
    I am guessing his sleep tech fell asleep or went to lunch instead of watching the monitor. Sad.

    Report Post » bree  
    • jujubeebee
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 8:29am

      When people get old and have congestive heart failure…maybe nothing could save him. Sometimes it is nobody’s fault. The family wants to give blame but at some point the man or his family agreed to have the sleep study. There are risks. Trying now to sue is like sour grapes.

      Report Post »  
    • COFemale
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 10:36am

      Did you watch the video JuJu? That would be a resounding NO. He is 25 years old.

      Report Post » COFemale  
    • BillyButt
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 10:57am

      I had a C-PAP stop during a power outage.
      Suffocation nearly killed me!

      I have now lived several years without the stupid machine.
      (Now watch me die tonight after opening my big mouth….)

      Report Post »  
    • Valkaneer
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 11:52am

      @jujubeebee Wrong, when a person ask for help and says “AM I DYING” that means get off your butt and get medical help for the person. They just reassured him he was ok untile it was to late. When someone in this situation ask for your help and thinks he diying and you do nothing. Leagal action should be taken.

      Report Post » Valkaneer  
    • brknhrt
      Posted on March 7, 2012 at 7:46am

      I worked in a sleep center and I agree that the tech must have been sleeping (happens too often) or out of the room where the tech monitoring equipment was. When he showed distress and asked about dying, she would have spoken with him if she had been in the monitoring room. They have intercoms into the room and can converse with the patient at any time. All sleep centers should have board certified polysomnography techs. This is tragic and just going by what was in the article, I think a law suit is appropriate.

      Report Post » brknhrt  
    • Bikkiboo
      Posted on March 7, 2012 at 9:46pm

      I’ve had two of these studies. They don’t force you to sleep on your back.
      I now have a VPAP machine, which puts out higher pressure than a CPAP and stops pumping air intermittently to let you breath out against the higher pressure. I can sleep any way I want.

      Report Post » Bikkiboo  
  • ADNIL
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 8:02am

    Gone are the days when you can put your blind trust in the medical profession. You must educate yourself and make your own decisions, what procedures you will submit to and what medications you will take. If you don’t, you are a FOOL and will recieve the fool’s deserts.

    Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 8:01am

    I’m sorry the kid died, it is very sad. What would have prevented the same thing from happening in his own bed?

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • ADNIL
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 8:13am

      My guess would be diet and exercise…..starting around age 3. Sad, sad, sad. I would hold his parents accountable for that. This young man’s heart was a ticking time bom-b.

      Report Post »  
    • progressiveslayer
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 8:18am

      It’s a sad story for sure but the same thing could of easily happened in his own bed,with the many health problems he had he probably had sleep apnoea as well.The sleep study can diagnose sleep apnoea.

      Report Post » progressiveslayer  
  • SamIamTwo
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 7:57am

    I wonder if he signed the waiver to sue and possibility of death thangie, prob soooo.

    Report Post » SamIamTwo  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 7:54am

    .
    When someone is so fat they can’t get up outta bed. Who brings them food?……….

    I know this is nasty but how do they wipe their behind?…….

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • ADNIL
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 7:54am

    Cha-ching!

    Report Post »  
  • Kisses6350
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 7:50am

    Looks at some post and “smirks”……………………

    Report Post »  
  • countrygirl56
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 7:16am

    Where was this man’s very concerned mother when he put on the extra 200 lbs? If they were so very concerned…why didn’t a member of his family accompany him to the facility for the sleep study?

    It’s sad…sad this mentally challenged young man wasn’t given sufficient help FROM HIS FAMILY to maintain a healthy weight or assist him through the maze of our current healthcare system! However, it’s DISGUSTING that now his family is using our IN-JUSTICE system to steal millions of $$ from the healthcare facility!

    Report Post »  
    • Baddoggy
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 7:51am

      The left will use this to make more laws to restrict our freedoms. Since this was a mentally chalenged person the family who fed him should be looked at and possibly charged with laws that are already on the books for child abuse or in his case abuse of the mentally challenged.
      The problem is that no one wants to take responsibility. I am sure he did what he was taught to do by idiot parents that are probably just as fat as he is.He was of age and that could lend to his capabilities and his own responsibility. Crimes were committed? Maybe. But bottom line is that he stuck the food in his own mouth. There has to be some weight there…pardon the pun…
      Did he do this ow his own? Probably…Will the lawsuit go forward? Probably. Will it result in more laws…You betcha! Sad day for America.

      Report Post » Baddoggy  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 7:53am

      They stuffed him with doughnuts but the hospital killed him with a bed ……..

      Report Post » RepubliCorp  
    • deano24
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 9:53pm

      I feel sorry that the kid passed away & your question on “why didn’t a member of his family accompany him to the facility for the sleep study?”. You would think one of his family members would’ve went with him to help fill out the paperwork, talk to the people about the procedure that he was going to get & his health problem of sleeping on his back.

      Report Post » deano24  
  • 54TUNNUG
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 6:58am

    Way too much wrong with this article. 1) Video of a person DYING???? REALLY???? 2) A lawsuit???? VERY overweight, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, diabetes, and high blood pressure!!!! Mentally handicapped??? Could he care for himself? See above. The family should sue themselves!!! 3) Finally, another law??? Now the politicians can feel good about themselves for helping society again. How we could ever think we could survive without their help is an ongoing mystery to me. They should be required to stay in session ALL the time. Then they could solve all our problems before they become a problem. (Just in case: SARCASM)

    Report Post »  
    • GeneTracy
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 11:03am

      One of the better posts I have read in a long time.Well said 54TUNNUG.

      Report Post » GeneTracy  
    • selloursouls
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 11:24am

      @54Tunnug, you just saved me from excessive typing, thank you.

      Report Post » selloursouls  
    • inblack
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 1:02pm

      I agree – we don’t need a law. This is the legislature pretending they can prevent problems with “after the fact”, knee jerk reactions.

      If they had a case, they should go to court and if we had loser pays, including the prosecution lawyer, then no one would take the case unless they had clear evidence of negligence.

      Lawsuits are appropriate and the correct action to deal with negligence, Not silly “Brandon’s Law” regulation. The result of “Brandon’s Law”: more expensive health care and stupid unnecessary procedures put in place in all businesses, including those that are already doing what they should.

      Report Post »  
  • ThePostman
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 6:37am

    I cannot believe the government thinks it can get involved and help in any way. This guy was having serious problems long before he ever showed up at the sleep center. This is an example of the news having liberal bias – if anyone dies or gets injured, they imply it is up to the almighty government to save us all from that same fate. What fools.

    Report Post »  
    • hillbillyinny
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 8:03am

      Bilking of medical system by providers–unneeded “tests” being run!

      Report Post »  
    • ADNIL
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 8:09am

      And they will be more than happy to comply. It is what they do best….make laws. There are so many freakin laws on the books that every one of us is breaking at least one of them and don’t even know it. SHEEEEEEESH!

      Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 5:45am

    Anyone think… ObamaCare… will result in a better outcome… if not mandatory Sleep Tests?

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • SamIamTwo
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 7:56am

      Dood ObamaCare is FEHB…been saying this for over 3 years…they fondly call it group death. Obama lovin’ Group Health Cooperative of WA State…they hand out pills while you decay away.

      Report Post » SamIamTwo  
  • alina.bolero
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 4:50am

    OMG … these things started getting heavily pushed about 10 years ago. My doc recommended I have one. Thinking it seemed a bit like quackery, I asked EVERY step of the way … “you sure my insurance is going to pay for this?“ The answer was ALWAYS ”yes, fully”. So I did it. HUGE mistake. It was a MISERABLE experience. Since I had trouble sleeping with all that crap stuck to my body, in a strange environment, knowing people are WATCHING ME, they decided I had sleep apnea. After the “study”, it became clear to me it was nothing but a marketing gimmick for a CPAP machine! Something tantamount to sleeping with a gas mask on your face. Oh, and insurance doesn’t pay for THAT … hence the hard sell and every step of the way. Oh, nor did my insurance pay for the stupid “sleep study”, which was a few THOUSAND dollars. Seldom have I ever been that angry. I gave my “doctor” of several years a piece of my mind and parted ways. Since I couldn’t afford it, it went to collections and ruined my credit.

    lessons learned:
    1) never trust the provider’s opinion, they do not have your best interest at heart
    2) ask for a statement of fees from all providers before “service” is rendered
    3) confirm the level and degree of coverage directly from insurance
    4) get everything in writing

    Oh, and this guy DIED because of rule #1, as he took part in a marketing gimmick by non-healthcare/salespersons for CPAP machines! They are in the same category as timeshare

    Report Post » alina.bolero  
    • Baddoggy
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 6:24am

      You are right. I can watch a person sleep and in 5 minutes after they are asleep I could tell if someone has sleep apnea. These centers are nothing more than a gimmick to sell CPAP machines.

      But do we need more regulations? More laws? No! We just need a big lawsuit or two and the free market will correct itself. You wont save this guy or anyone else with stupid regulations and laws. But it makes the politician look like a hero in the sheeples eyes.

      Wake up America!

      Report Post » Baddoggy  
    • COFemale
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 10:44am

      Although I sympathize with your outcome, who fault is it that YOU did not call your insurance company to find out the study is covered or the CPAP machine? Where was your due diligence in this matter? I am sure the doctor would have arranged for you to make payments. You are responsible for your outcome, not the sleep center or doctor. When you assume!

      Report Post » COFemale  
  • sasquatch08
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 3:31am

    And of course more laws are the answer.

    As if a sleep technologist doesn’t know CPR? (Ok, maybe they don’t) but this is moronic. A law to govern sleep centers in this area, that requires a defibrillator in every room? One to five on carts would be enough depending on the size of the place.

    Leave it to government morons to come up with “we need a law” BS. One guy died. OH NO!!! We need LAWS to protect people.

    He was horribly overweight, and had heart problems and he died? BIG SURPRISE! He shouldn’t have been lying on his back… isn‘t it HIS problem that HE did what HE WASN’T supposed to do?

    When is this country going to wake up and realize that laws don’t protect anyone, they merely assign a penalty for someone you can manage to blame?

    Report Post »  
    • Katydidnt
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 6:04am

      Did you miss the part that said he was mentally disabled? He was doing what he was told to do. If these people put themselves out as experts in the field and they are there to monitor you. It does lead to feeling like things are under control.

      Report Post »  
    • Baddoggy
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 6:27am

      So mare laws and more regulations will fix stupid? That in itself is stpid. We do not need more laws we need a free market and maybe jail time for some of the laws already on the books for neglegence. Lawsuits also work really well to control the free market.

      Make all the rules you want…we all still die someday. Get over it.

      Report Post » Baddoggy  
    • objectivetruth
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 10:33am

      While I agree more laws won’t solve the problem.The fact is that he wasn’t totally capable of discernment as to what he should have done.Sasquatch08 your wording of why we have laws as though someone is looking to assign blame.Sasquatch in normal crimes its obvious.Your wording leaves it as though you believe that a spinning wheel is used for assignment.Not what you intended I’m sure.Which may be why someone posted the way they did.
      Bad doggy I’m sure law suits would stop the stupidity.However most of the most serious errors and crimes are commited in hospitals that have almost blanket immunity.Government funded and run including med schools-especially med schools.Some of the most serious errors can be commited by the senior and midlevel staff then blamed on students.
      Btw Do either of you know where the most serious errors and crimes are commited in a hospital?Excluding theft due to addiction by nurses doctors.Its in the paperwork side.Medical ID Theft and insiders helping them.

      Report Post »  
  • 2theADDLED
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 3:18am

    The story doesn’t mention but if it was a union run hospital I am sure they were standing around waiting for someone else to take the Initiative to help the man.
    By the way where was the nurses call button ?

    Report Post »  
  • One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 2:09am

    I really HATE seeing this site link to Huffington Puffington as a news and link source.

    Please, if this story is there, it’s on 50,000 other conservative sites than could instead be linked up and sourced. I know these guys running this place like Scott Baker are FROM THERE, but supposed to FROM there…. not generating linkage and hit income for that dump still today no?. Thanks.

    Report Post » One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew  
    • AmeriCat
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 3:03am

      Agree completely.
      Learning more about the hired folks….so this and the mixture of articles in general is no longer surprising to me. Sad. Seems like such wasted opportunity.

      Report Post »  
    • Dancing_In_The_Ruins
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 3:54am

      Does it really matter that the Huff posted it first? Get past the hate for the Post and see the real story here, it’s not like they are making this one up.

      Report Post »  
    • COFemale
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 10:51am

      Don’t like the content or where it was originally posted, go somewhere else. If it is legitimate news why do you care where it came from?

      Report Post » COFemale  
  • David, the Constitutional Libertarian
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 1:17am

    Excuse me, why are you posting articles from the HUFF AND PUFF?

    Report Post » David, the Constitutional Libertarian  
  • randy
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 1:15am

    Why would I want to watch a video of someone dying?

    Report Post » randy  
    • smokie
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 4:11am

      I know. I’m not going to look at it. My first thought was “snuff film”. It’s very rude to the poor guy in the video.

      Report Post »  
    • hi
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 1:18pm

      I know! I didn’t watch it either.

      Report Post » hi  
  • MaryofAz
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 1:14am

    This sad death was inevitable and to sue the Sleep Lab is just stupid. This young man was a medical train wreck and now, yet again the progressive numb nuts are taking the ball and running with it. Now they can come up with a new law to screw with sleep apnea. Enough to make a person puke. Where was the families concern as this young man gained so much weight? An intervention would have helped. But now they are going for the gold.

    Report Post »  
  • Itsjusttim
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 12:50am

    And this surprises you why? This is the kind of nation head burying people get.

    Report Post » Itsjusttim  
  • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
    Posted on March 6, 2012 at 12:15am

    Maybe the study was to see if all dogs do indeed, go to heaven. Or as the Nazi’s wondered, do the mentally disabled have a soul. Just thinking outloud. If it was for the Snore Stopper, it was a massive failure.

    Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • hillbillyinny
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 5:34am

      This guy couldn’t breathe properly sitting up (listen to his breathing on the tape when he is first laying down. If you can’t breathe well sitting, walking, etc., you are NOT A GOOD SUBJECT FOR A SLEEP STUDY, you have too many medical issues which need to be dealth with first!!! Did his family explain the fact that he can’t breath laying down?

      Wrong of his doctor to refer him for this study, wrong of the study unit, wrong of his family, wrong of Medicaid or Medicare to approve this study for payment, but herein may be the crux of the matter, bilking Medicaid or Medicaid (no one really checks on the toal health picture if it is an approved procedure!).

      God rest this man’s soul, and you can no longer blindly follow your doctor’s order, you MUST BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE or YOU MUST HAVE SOMEONE BE WITH YOU AND BE YOUR ADVOCATE. This has been true for a number of years now due to lack of time on the doctor’s part (the doctor only has minutes with each patient!). It will be more true under OBAMACARE.

      BEWARE!

      Report Post »  
    • deeberj
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 1:01pm

      hillbillyinny – yep. You said it all. His famil should have used their brains and realized he should not lie down. Period. We can blame everyone else for not noticing it, but it ultimately is his family’s responsibility.

      I never understand how people will give themselves shots or take pills and not even know the name of them or what they do. Sheep.

      Report Post » deeberj  
  • TulsaYeeHaw
    Posted on March 5, 2012 at 11:58pm

    Yeah, I’m sure the legislature will have a PERFECT answer.

    Report Post »  
  • 1casawizard
    Posted on March 5, 2012 at 11:56pm

    I have a sleep disorder, but it is because of the political environment, personal issues and job issues from the past 3 1/2 years. thank you.

    Report Post » 1casawizard  
    • CatB
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 12:06am

      Me too …haven’t had a decent nights sleep since the regime took over …hopefully will be able to get a bit of rest after January … I know even if Obama isn’t re-elected he will put us through HELL from the election til the new President gets in office. … if we can pry him out of the White House! All I need is a short bit of “rest” (I would love a few nights in a row of real sleep) then get on the new guy to do what is right!!!

      Report Post »  
    • Ookspay
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 12:08am

      I hear ya, At least we have plenty of time to post and surf : D

      Report Post » Ookspay  
    • One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
      Posted on March 6, 2012 at 2:38am

      I’m with all three of you on that, and because of it I even work overnights on a 911 dispatch shift 4 nights a week, as it’s tough to sleep with this idiot HIIC (head idiot in charge), not to mention I don’t wanna be part of the generation that let this borgata sink to an Halfrican Globalist Puppet.

      Report Post » One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew  
  • Ookspay
    Posted on March 5, 2012 at 11:56pm

    The Blaze is starting to go the way of “Faces of Death”, GBTV as well, Is Glenn still a Christian?

    Report Post » Ookspay  
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