Media Coverage
Print : Portsmouth Herald News (N.H.)
The Science of Sleep
Everyone experiences days when a lack of sleep interferes with their daily routine. However, for some, sleepiness may be caused by something a bit more serious. Obstructive sleep apnea, one of the most serious sleep disorders, affects an estimated 5 percent of Americans. A person suffering from obstructive sleep apnea will remain asleep as their body fails to bring in enough oxygen, causing a slow suffocation. The body then briefly rouses itself to bring in more air before returning to a state of sleep. This cycle may repeat itself dozens or hundreds of times per night. The sufferer has no memory of these events, but may be excessively tired in the morning and throughout the day.
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Mar 20, 2008
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Print : Aurora Beacon Journal
Good Rest Critical to Well-being
Sleep is essential to a person’s health and well-being. There is now compelling evidence that the common sleep disorder obstructive sleep apnea, which has been linked to stroke and high blood pressure, is linked to impaired sugar metabolism. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when a person’s airway is blocked, causing breathing to stop. A study from Yale shows a link between sleep apnea and diabetes, regardless of whether or not that person is obese. Some studies show that treating obstructive sleep apnea can help with diabetes control. The most common and effective treatment is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which is a device that offers a steady stream of pressurized air through a nasal mask that keeps the airway open and prevents snoring and apneas. Patients who use CPAP at least four hours a night experience improved glycosylated hemoglobin levels and all around better sleep habits.
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Mar 19, 2008
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Print : The Southtown Star
Getting Adequate Sleep Can Improve Quality of Life
More than 80 sleep disorders plague more than 60 million Americans. The familiar annoyance known as snoring may be an indication of one of the most common sleep disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when the soft tissue of the throat collapses and restricts airflow. If the disorder is left untreated, it can lead to many serious health issues including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and weight gain. It also may lead to job impairment and auto accidents. The good news is that there are ways to treat this disorder including continuous positive airway pressure therapy, also known as CPAP, which provides constant airflow through the airway, providing uninterrupted sleep. If you suspect that you or a loved one may have sleep apnea, schedule an overnight sleep study where trained professionals will watch what happens to your body while you are sleeping.
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Mar 18, 2008
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Online : Medical News Today
Medicare Announces Final Coverage Policy For Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy For Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Medicare coverage has been expanded for continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, devices for patients who have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea using an at-home sleep test. Up to four million Medicare patients suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, which is a sleep condition that is diagnosed by counting the number of sleep disturbances during a specific period of time. The CPAP device provides steady airflow through a face mask to ensure proper breathing during sleep. Some patients who test positive for obstructive sleep apnea do not continue the CPAP treatment or do not improve on the treatment; therefore, coverage of CPAP is initially limited to twelve weeks. There is long-term CPAP treatment coverage for patients who continue to respond to the treatment.
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Mar 14, 2008
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Online : Myrtle Beach Online
Overcoming Apnea
In this Q&A, a concerned wife is curious as to why her husband’s doctor wants him to use a CPAP machine to fix his obstructive sleep apnea as opposed to having surgery. The answer is that a doctor may have prescribed the CPAP device because many surgical methods do not always have a high success rates in treating obstructive sleep apnea. Most people with obstructive sleep apnea need positive air pressure, which a CPAP can provide. The CPAP device has become more comfortable for patients in recent years and often leads to longer time spent in restorative deep sleep, which enables patients to feel more refreshed the following day. Overweight patients suffering from sleep apnea are encouraged to try to lose weight through diet and exercise, which will improve all areas of daily life beyond their sleep. |
Mar 13, 2008
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Print : Today’s Local News
Taking a Deep Breath -Sleep apnea treatment at night helps many people have better days
Imagine an early morning when you continue to hit the snooze button to stay in bed a little longer, but the alarm provides an interruption that never fully allows you to get the kind of quality sleep you need. That’s what every night is like for people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, which is caused by a blockage in the airway. This obstruction can prevent air from reaching the brain for more than ten seconds at a time. People who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea often have no knowledge that they have the condition. The most common diagnosis is through a concerned bed partner. For those whose diagnosis is confirmed by a physician, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask is often prescribed, which provides a constant flow of air to keep the airway open. Patients who correctly treat their obstructive sleep apnea will feel more energized throughout their daily lives.
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Mar 13, 2008
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Print : The Journal Record
Obesity-Linked Sleep Disorder Plagues Productivity, Health Care Costs
Obesity has been linked to obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep disorder where pauses in breath take place up to 100 times a night. Apnea comes from a Greek word which literally means “without breath.” Studies estimate that 18 million Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, 80 percent of whom are obese. As obesity rises, so does the prevalence of this condition. Obstructive sleep apnea causes individuals to be excessively tired throughout the day, which can lead to automobile accidents along with work related accidents.
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Mar 12, 2008
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Print : Dubuque Telegraph Herald
Problems Awaken
Loud snoring may be more than just an annoyance, it could be an indicator of more serious problems, such as obstructive sleep apnea, which is a risk factor of cardiovascular disease. Roughly one half of snorers have obstructive sleep apnea, where breathing stops while sleeping. This sleep disorder greatly reduces the amount of oxygen a person receives into the lungs, and the snore is an attempt to regain some of that oxygen, which is followed by a cessation in breathing. Older men and obese people are most likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, although children with large tonsils and people with misshapen palates can be at risk.
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Mar 11, 2008
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Broadcast : KOAA-TV
Millions of Americans struggle to fall asleep--Are you one of them?
Tossing and turning, can't get to sleep, it happens to all of us from time to time. But for millions of people, their sleep problems are serious. An estimated 18 million Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. When a patient with obstructive sleep apnea falls asleep, their airway tends to close and they stop breathing for a period of time. Obstructive sleep apnea can cause more than just a restless night of sleep; it can result in signficant medical problems. The most common associated factor with obstructive sleep apnea is being overweight. The most common treatment is a breathing device that patients wear at night, to keep their airway open while they sleep. It's called a CPAP, which stands for continuous positive airway pressure. The best way to tell if you have a sleep disorder is to talk to your partner about your sleeping habits.
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Mar 07, 2008
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Online : Reuters
Sleep Apnea Costly for Older Adults
New research from the University Medical Center in Beer-Sheva, Israel suggests that elderly and middle-aged adults suffering from obstructive sleep apnea are a larger financial drain on healthcare services than are patients who do not suffer from the common sleep disorder. Patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea - which often afflicts those who are overweight - stop breathing during their sleep for short periods of time. The research found that healthcare costs were nearly two times higher for patients with obstructive sleep apnea compared to ones who do not suffer from the condition.
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Mar 07, 2008
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