Next time you are traveling on an air flight and are annoyed by the guy sleeping next to you who is snoring, realize that there could be much more behind that than just an irritating sound, this person could have Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Apnea is a Greek word that means ‘not breathing’.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a condition caused by the tongue falling back and blocking the airway for anywhere between 10 and 90 seconds while someone is sleeping. This creates breathing pauses where the person is not getting oxygen. In OSA, these episodes occur from 15 to as many as 100 times each hour. This deprives one of the sleep and oxygen required to function normally and presents a dangerous detriment to a person’s long-term health. Read the rest of this entry

SleepApneaDisorder/[Press Release]/-What is the best sleep apnea treatment? It is not CPAP, according to a recent study that showed 60% of patients abandon CPAP use. At least it is not the best treatment for the 60% of patients who abandoned it. This does not mean CPAP is not the most effective treatment, what it means is no matter how effective a treatment may be, it is a poor treatment if it is not used. Oral appliances are an extremely effective treatment for mild to moderate sleep apnea but less effective for morbidly obese patients and those with severe sleep apnea. Read the rest of this entry

Hemangiomas involving the upper airway can be an uncommon cause of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Case presentationA 26-year-old Caucasian man with a known history of a large hemangioma of his head and neck presented with sleep-disordered breathing to the sleep unit of our hospital.

Severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was revealed on polysomnography.

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure was implemented effectively, reducing daytime hypersomnolence and significantly improving sleep parameters.

After three years of adherent use, the patient remains in a good condition and the hemangioma is stable. Read the rest of this entry

Friday 16th July 2010 marked day one of trading for ResSleep’s first franchise clinics in Stones Corner and Mt Gravatt, Brisbane, Queensland.

Alastair Bettle converted his existing CPAP store The Medical Equipment Centre to a ResSleep Clinic and also became the owner of the existing ResSleep Clinic in Mt Gravatt Central in Queensland.

Alastair has over a decade’s experience in the snoring and Sleep Apnea industry and brings a wealth of knowledge to the ResSleep national network. He will be partnering with a Sleep Physicians in Queensland to support on-site home testing sleep services. Read the rest of this entry

The National Weather Service has posted an excessive heat warning for several counties in the western part of Tennessee and temperatures of 100 degrees or more are expected to spread to the middle of the state, affecting cities like Nashville. For many, these temperatures are uncomfortable, but for others, excessively hot weather can threaten their very lives.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2001 over 300 people lost their lives from excessive heat exposure. In the period between 1979 and 2003, more people died from extreme heat in the U.S. than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. Read the rest of this entry

Sleep apnea pillows are specially constructed to prevent any lateral pressure on the side of the CPAP (continuous positive airflow) mask that is worn by many sleep apnea sufferers. This special pillow generally has a “scooped out” configuration on each of the 4 sides. This gives support to the top and back of the head without giving any support in the mouth area. It is best used by those individuals that prefer to sleep on their sides, though it may be helpful for those that choose to sleep on their backs.

These sleep apnea pillows are produced by many different companies and are readily available at both retail and through the internet. They do not require a prescription, and they are not very expensive. Insurance companies may reimburse for the pillow purchase, but the individual will need to check in advance.

Ambulatory BP studies indicate that even small increases in BP, particularly nighttime BP levels, are associated with significant increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Accordingly, sleep-related diseases that induce increases in BP would be anticipated to substantially affect cardiovascular risk. Both sleep deprivation and insomnia have been linked to increases in incidence and prevalence of hypertension.

Likewise, sleep disruption attributable to restless legs syndrome increases the likelihood of having hypertension. Read the rest of this entry

 [Press Release]/ July 29, 2010 – ROSEVILLE, CA,/ – Roseville dentist Preddis L. Sullivan DDS, a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, knows how effective an oral appliance can be in the treatment of a common sleep disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Many of his patients have found much needed relief through this simple treatment option.

New professional guidelines have provided further support for what both Dr. Sullivan and his patients already know: oral appliances, which are similar in appearance to an orthodontic retainer or a sports mouthguard, are an excellent treatment option for patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea. Read the rest of this entry

If one does not get sleep or can’t stay asleep or waking up many times in the middle of the night, the person can count him to be suffering from sleep deprivation which has solution.

According to Carolyn Schur, founder of Associated Sleep services in Saskatoon, Sask a fatigue management specialist and a sleep teacher; it all begins with proper diagnosis.

She added that most people suffering from sleep disorders are insomniacs and two thirds of her patients can also be termed that. Read the rest of this entry

ResMed, San Diego, announces the release of the Mirage Micro™ for Kids nasal mask. This is ResMed’s second patient interface for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in children and now comes in a small headgear size with a small cushion suitable for children. 

The mask features the MicroFit dial, which allows children or their parents to adjust the mask to make the most comfortable and secure fit. In addition to the MicroFit dial, the Mirage Micro for Kids incorporates other child-friendly features that help them adjust to therapy. Read the rest of this entry

Ensure your sleep apnea equipment is working efficiently and effectively with one-on-one service from respiratory specialists at a free CPAP/BiPAP Clinic from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday at Elkhart General Home Medical Equipment, 225 E. Jackson Blvd.

Appointments take only 20 minutes and include: pressure checks, mask and supply evaluations, filter changes and new equipment displays.

The clinics are the third Tuesday of each month.

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can cause undesirable nasal symptoms such as congestion to obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients, which symptoms can be attenuated by the addition of heated humidification.

However, neither the nature of nasal symptoms nor the effect of heated humidification on nasal pathophysiology and pathology are convincingly known.

 Twenty patients with OSA on nasal CPAP who exhibited symptomatic nasal obstruction were randomized to receive either 3 weeks of CPAP treatment with heated humidification or 3 weeks of CPAP treatment with sham-heated humidification, followed by 3 weeks of the opposite treatment, respectively. Read the rest of this entry

Under the watchful eye of Philips Respironics staffer Juli Lewis, Nickolas Kubit and Nolan Johngarlo

[Media Release]-On Saturday, June 5, nearly 500 Philips Respironics employees, volunteers, family and friends gathered together to experience the new manufacturing facility at an activity-packed open house.
 
The venue was the Philips Respironics Manufacturing Facility, Westmoreland Business and Research Park, Upper Burrell, PA
 
The 172,000-square-foot LEED-certified building is a model for manufacturing and workplace excellence. Opened in 2009, the state-of-the-art facility is devoted to high volume production of sleep therapy systems. Philips Respironics also operates a second plant at its main campus in Murrysville. 
 
The activities of the day satisfied the whims of curious hands-on types to music-loving Guitar Hero fanatics. Events included guided plant tours, product demonstrations, a mock production line where children and adults alike could build a sleep therapy (CPAP) device, face painting and balloon art, X-Box Beatles Guitar Hero, exciting giveaways and a delicious picnic lunch. More than 60 employees volunteered their time and talents for the day.  Read the rest of this entry

If you have the disorder, you’re not breathing properly while you sleep because your airflow is blocked repeatedly throughout the night. Nearly one in four men and one in ten women suffer from it. (There are a couple of other varieties, but OSA is the most common.) And it goes hand-in-hand with type 2 diabetes. In a survey on the subject, Gary D. Foster, PhD, wrote that, “among all of the sleep disorders, OSA has the strongest association with type 2 diabetes.”  That’s even taking into account other risk factors, such as weight, sex and age.

The main risk factor for OSA is obesity. “Excess weight deposits extra fat around the thorax, reducing chest compliance and functional capacity, while increasing oxygen demand,” wrote Foster, a professor of medicine and public health and the Director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University. Read the rest of this entry