SleepApneaDisorder/ [Press release ]/ DETROIT /– Detroit Medical Center has been selected as the first Detroit area hospital to participate in a pivotal clinical study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a new therapy for patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The STAR trial (Stimulation Therapy for Apnea Reduction) will be conducted at leading medical centers across the United States and Europe, and will evaluate the efficacy of Inspire™ Upper Airway Stimulation (UAS) therapy, an implantable therapy that works with the body’s natural physiology to prevent airway obstruction during sleep. More than 18 million Americans suffer from OSA, which is characterized by repeated episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep. Patients with OSA stop breathing frequently during sleep, often for a minute or longer. Daytime sleepiness, depression, weight gain, increase in industrial accidents and diminished quality of life are all commonly observed in people who suffer from OSA as a result of fragmented sleep patterns.  Furthermore, OSA is associated with the development of systemic hypertension, cardiovascular diseases (heart failure, heart rhythm disorders), stroke, and diabetes. Read the rest of this entry

Siesta Medical, Inc. , a developer of minimally invasive surgical  solutions for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), announced today that it has  received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Encore™ Tongue Suspension System for the  treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.  Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major heath problem in the United States.  As many as 17 million people in the United States have moderate to severe OSA,  which is characterized by frequent awakening during sleep, heavy snoring and  daytime sleepiness. If left untreated, OSA has been implicated in the increased  risk for cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and heart failure.  Despite its prevalence and role as a cardiovascular risk factor, OSA remains  largely under diagnosed. Read the rest of this entry

Are you sleeping too much or too less during nights? Research concluded in recent past has revealed that inflammation could play a key role in your health condition in such a situation.

Long and short duration sleep has been reported to have an increased risk for several disorders and health problems including coronary heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, and death in many of the previously concluded researches and studies. Inflammation regulating cytokines elevations have been found to have direct linkage with enhanced risk of health problems like heart disease and diabetes.

In this study where 614 participants reported their sleep habits after spending a night in sleep lab the mean self-reported sleep duration was calculated to be only 7.6 hours. The sleep lab reported sleep duration was only 6.2 hours on the contrary. Read the rest of this entry

Sleep disorders, like sleep apnea and insomnia, affect 40 per cent of Canadians, according  to new figures from a Laval University study published in this month’s issue of  the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

Through a survey of 2,000 people across Canada, researchers found 40 per cent  of respondents experienced symptoms of insomnia at least three times a week.  Symptoms include taking longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, being awake  during the night for more than 30 minutes, or waking up at least 30 minutes  earlier than planned.

Although 20 per cent of respondents said they were unsatisfied with the  quality of their sleep, only 13 per cent of survey respondents say they visited  a doctor or health-care professional about the problem. Read the rest of this entry

In advance of a sleep apnea testing requirement by U.S. regulators, Harvard researchers are investigating a new type of screening tool to identify drivers at a higher risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The psychomotor vigilance test is a 10-minute test of attention, alertness, and reaction time (RT). It can be accomplished within a short office visit, requires only brief instruction, is performed on portable, hand-held computers, and its output can be easily and quickly read and interpreted.

“Our goal is to develop objective screening methods beyond obesity for obstructive sleep apnea to be used in occupational health settings,” said the study’s senior author, Stefanos N. Kales, MD, MPH, Division Chief & Medical Director of Employee and Industrial Medicine at Cambridge Health Alliance. “Subjective reports of excessive daytime sleepiness are notoriously unreliable especially during fitness-for-work examinations, and obesity in isolation as a screen has generated resistance from many drivers.” Read the rest of this entry

Majority of pediatricians are not properly trained to advise parents or guardians on sleep hygiene for their children, according to new research published online August 28 and in the September print issue of Pediatrics.

As many as 33% of preadolescents and 40% of adolescents report experiencing some form of sleep problems, including sleep apnea, snoring, and sleep difficulty, according to lead author Firoza Faruqui, DO, from the Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Ohio, and colleagues. Sleep issues as seemingly benign as snoring have been linked in studies to lower academic performance and higher body mass index in early childhood, and sleep apnea has been linked to issues ranging from difficulties in social and emotional development to cardiac problems. Read the rest of this entry

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) during sleep occurs at a relatively low frequency and the pathogenic background remains uncertain. The aim of a recently concluded study was to determine the significance of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and excess visceral fat with nocturnal dysregulation of adipocytokines in night-time onset of ACS.

SDB, visceral fat area (VFA), and changes in circulating adipocytokine levels were assessed in 109 consecutive patients with ACS. SDB and VFA were assessed by cardiorespiratory monitoring and computed tomographic scan, respectively. Read the rest of this entry

Good night’s sleep is important for numerous health benefits. The best position is to sleep on your back, according to a new study.

It prevents neck and back pain, reduces acid reflux and minimizes wrinkles. Sleeping on your back makes it easy for your head, neck and spine to maintain a neutral position.

However, people with severe snoring or sleep apnea should avoid sleeping on their back. This position is recommended for people with neck pain along with a cervical roll or pillow.

The next best position is the side position. This position is great for your overall health. It prevents neck and back pain, reduces acid reflux and reduces snoring. This position is ideal for women who are pregnant. Women in late pregnancy should sleep on their left side to increase blood flow to the baby. Side sleeping keeps your spine elongated preventing back soreness. Read the rest of this entry

The Aviisha Medical Institute, LLC is making headway in the battle against sleep apnea as physician groups continue to join its MD Home Sleep Program at a record pace. The program equips physicians with the knowledge and tools to diagnose and treat sleep apnea without resorting to costly lab testing.

The surge in group signups has helped Aviisha, the national leader in home sleep testing, reach more sleep apnea patients than ever before. “We’re seeing a remarkable number of patients getting treated thanks to the collective effort of our physicians,” said Dr. Avi Ishaaya, the cofounder and Medical Director of Aviisha. “Only 10-20% of sufferers are diagnosed despite the fact that untreated sleep apnea has such devastating health consequences.” Sleep apnea has been linked to increased risk of stroke, diabetes, heart failure, hypertension, obesity, sexual dysfunctional, depression, loss of motivation, and chronic fatigue.”

The groups come from a variety of states and comprise numerous specialties.

Aviisha’s MD Home Sleep Program Read the rest of this entry

The most effective treatment for the nighttime breathing disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea is the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, according to a new report.

A CPAP machine pumps air through a mask while the patient sleeps. This treatment is highly effective in improving sleep and reducing symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, according to the review of available evidence.

However, side effects such as dry nose and mouth, nosebleeds, chest discomfort and feeling trapped can cause patients to abandon CPAP treatment, noted the authors of the report, which was funded by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

One expert called the report’s findings “valuable.” Read the rest of this entry

The benefits of continuous positive airway pressure machines (CPAP) for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are quickly reversed when the therapy is withdrawn, according to Swiss research. The findings appear online in the articles-in-press section of the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

“In patients with obstructive sleep apnea who are established on CPAP treatment, withdrawal of the therapy is associated with a rapid recurrence of OSA and sleepiness within a few days” said Malcolm Kohler, MD, senior consultant at the Sleep Disorders Centre and Pulmonary Division of the University Hospital in Zurich. “After 14 days of CPAP withdrawal, OSA patients experienced considerable increases in heart rate and blood pressure as well as a deterioration in vascular function.” Read the rest of this entry

A recent poll conducted by the Centers  for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ranks Oklahoma the fourth sleepiest  state in the country.  It’s a huge problem. About 30 percent of Americans report having difficulty  falling or staying asleep, while some 10 percent have chronic insomnia.  According to the CDC poll, 14.3 percent of Oklahoma adults report they’re not  getting enough sleep. West  Virginia leads the country at 19.3 percent, followed by Tennessee  at 14.8 percent and Kentucky,  14.4 percent. Insufficient sleep can result in moodiness, irritability and  increased risk for auto and workplace accidents.

 In order to get better sleep  try to go to bed and get up about the same times every day, eat well and avoid  late-night meals, exercise regularly and finally, maintain a cool, dark and  quiet bedroom without distractions such as television or work  projects.

There are other ways to prevent sleep apnea without having to wear anything while you sleep. By maintaining a healthy body weight you can help reduce some of the constriction on your throat. You can help to prevent sleep apnea from developing in the first place by doing your best to maintain a healthy weight. If you consume alcohol or take certain medications before you go to bed, this could be triggering sleep apnea or make it worse. Your sleep position is also important with sleep apnea – try to sleep on your side. Sleeping on your back can increase snoring. Also, lifestyle changes come into play; if you smoke, stopping can help prevent this disorder. Staying fit and exercising can also help preventing.

Former USC football star Petro Papadakis, who currently hosts the KLAC AM 570 afternoon radio show, announced that he had received successful treatment for sleep apnea and snoring from Dr. Jonathan Greenburg.  Dr. Greenburg fitted Papadakis with a patent-pending appliance that is customized to each person’s mouth and tongue.   Papadakis commented, “It’s been a great alternative to the CPAP for me.  Dr. Greenburg is an innovator and visionary and his Snore No More Device enables me to sleep on planes and at my house without disturbing the peace.  The dental device opens your airway just like the CPAP and is much less cumbersome.“

Dr.Greenburg commented, “Petros is one of many sleep apnea or snoring sufferers who find the CPAP machine uncomfortable and too difficult to use.  Our custom fitted oral appliance treatment program gently repositions the tongue away from the airway at night and is ideal for patients like him who are either CPAP intolerant or travel often and wish to not have to take a CPAP machine with them.” Read the rest of this entry

Wearing compression stockings could be an effective and cheap way to help people suffering with a common sleep disorder, scientists say.

Researchers from the University of Brescia in Italy, found that wearing flight socks during the day reduced the symptoms of  sleep apnea among sufferers at night.

Around four per cent of men and two per cent of women in the UK have the condition that  interrupts breathing at night for ten seconds at a time.It can leave sufferers feeling exhausted as  the body reacts to obstructed airways by going from a state of deep sleep to  lighter rest.There are few effective treatments available  for the condition, which is particularly prevalent among the overweight and  over-65s. Many refuse to use available airway machines  as they require wearing a mask all night. Read the rest of this entry