According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, OSA affects at least four percent of men and two percent of women. While the reasons why men are more likely to have OSA than women is one of many aspects of the condition still being researched, there is compelling evidence pointing to potential reasons.

Japanese researchers recently conducted a new study that indicates excessive abdominal fat accumulation may happen only in men. The study’s 271 male and 100 female OSA patients had similar body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. Despite this relatively level playing field, the men had greater visceral fat accumulation, more severe OSA, and more severe dyslipidemia than the women.

Ongoing statistical analyses shows that, age, BMI, and two indicators of OSA (minimum oxygen saturation during sleep and alveolar-arterial oxygen difference) were independently associated with visceral fat accumulation in men. Women on the other hand only had BMI associated with visceral fat accumulation.

Furthermore, while prevalence of hypertension is similar in men and women, taking BMI into consideration shows men with OSA that are significantly more obese have a two-fold higher risk of hypertension than obese women with OSA. Further studies will need to be done to provide something akin to conclusive evidence. If future studies show the same indications it may very well lead to new approaches to treatment of OSA.

There are however unique challenges women face in being diagnosed with sleep apnea. While many studies revolve around both genders coming in for evaluation for sleep apnea, the ratio of men to women has been abnormally high as opposed to those with OSA in the general population.

Women may be less likely to be diagnosed and treated for sleep apnea due to predefined notions of the prevalence of OSA in males by physicians. Consequently, it may not occur to them with a female patient. Women may also present slightly different symptoms than the “classic” symptoms of snoring, witnessed breathing pauses at night, and excessive sleepiness during the day. Women are more likely to show signs of fatigue, insomnia, morning headaches, mood disturbances or other symptoms that may suggest reasons other than OSA for their symptoms.

Research has already led to many innovations in CPAP therapy ranging from CPAP machine design technology to a plethora of mask designs to accommodate women and men with varying needs and desires. Even men with facial hair like Santa can find a sleep apnea mask for beard that is comfortable without promoting leaks that diminish therapy effectiveness.

For additional information on various topics concerning sleep apnea and CPAP products, please refer to our blog.  It is constantly updated and offers free advice and information.  If you’d like to learn more about the quality sleep apnea products we carry, or if you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to call us at (866) 414-9700, or you can contact us through our website. http://www.thecpapshop.com/contact-us

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Bearing in mind that every surgery requires thoughtful preparation for the best outcomes, the special considerations for surgery patients with OSA do require some additional forethought by the patient as well as the surgical and hospital medical staff. Medical professionals have known for quite some time that patients with sleep apnea were at an increased risk of developing complications after operations. Although medical personnel have specific protocols in place for OSA patients undergoing surgery, it behooves the patient to be aware and proactive regarding the things they should know and do before surgery.

Because sedation can relax the throat muscles beyond the normal level in non-OSA patients, patients with obstructive sleep apnea tend to be more sensitive to what would otherwise be non-obstructive doses of drugs. Anesthesia can increase apnea episodes in quantity and severity, thereby further decreasing the all-important arterial oxygen saturation.

While the anesthesiologist will perform thorough history and examination before the surgery, which often reveals airway difficulty, every OSA patient should be proactive in preparing themselves and their anesthesiologist by informing them well before the surgery. The majority of anesthesiology departments will have someone talk to you about your options and your concerns so make contact as soon as the surgery is scheduled.

Working with the anesthesiologist ahead of time lets him try to come up with a plan for attacking your comfort and safety relative to pre-existing problems such as OSA. While the final choice of the type of anesthesia will be a team decision between the patient, surgeon and anesthesiologist, and will be based on the circumstances, the patient can have some control over the choice.

ResMed VPAP machine

In addition, not every person on the hospital medical staff will be familiar with the operation of each various models and types of CPAP, APAP or VPAP machines. Consequently, it is wise to inform hospital staff of the machine beforehand so that they have an opportunity to be sure of its proper operation before your operation and hospital stay.

The Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation requires the hospital engineering staff to inspect your CPAP machines beforehand if it will be used during recovery. OSA patients should make arrangements to bring it in early so that it can be inspected as soon as possible, so that there is no problem when it comes time for its use. Providing the staff with a copy of the prescription covering your prescribed pressure is also recommended.

Bringing the CPAP, APAP or VPAP machines to the hospital will not be necessary for same day surgery where you will be home again the evening immediately following the surgery. For in-hospital stays where there will be an overnight stay after the surgery is where you will likely need your machine. Since every patient is closely monitored in the recovery room where potential breathing problems can be easily handled, your machine will not be needed until you are returned to your room.

Regardless of the type of procedure, your hospital’s surgical and medical staff is well prepared to deal with OSA patients so that the surgery and recovery is without complication in relation to your OSA. By being proactive and consulting with the hospital before the surgery date, you can do your part in helping them be prepared for the smoothest possible surgery while giving you the peace of mind to concentrate on recovery and getting back to 100 percent.

For additional information on various topics concerning sleep apnea and CPAP products, please refer to our blog. It is constantly updated and offers free advice and information. If you’d like to learn more about the quality sleep apnea products we carry, or if you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to call us at (866) 414-9700, or you can contact us through our website. http://www.thecpapshop.com/contact-us

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There is little debate as to the fact that nearly 20 million Americans suffer from some form of sleep apnea with the majority going undiagnosed. While the health and marketplace costs become clearer each day, the high prevalence of truck drivers with undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is still in the throes of serious debate.

According to the Sleep Apnea Treatment Centers of America, the debate is focused on whether the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) should implement extensive regulations that would enforce the testing of truck drivers for the possibility of OSA. As the Department of Transportation’s commercial driving branch, the FMCSA develop standards to test and subsequently issue licenses to commercial drivers, collect motor carrier safety data, and improve regulations.

At the heart of the issue are the tremendous costs incurred truckers, trucking companies or other entities for the testing and the subsequent costs of treatment most often from CPAP therapy derived from the sleep apnea machine. Although truckers are required to pass a medical evaluation every two years, there is no medical testing standard or requirement for sleep apnea. With many drivers having no health insurance and for the majority of trucking companies independently owned, costs of testing, sleep apnea machine parts, and compliance for truckers diagnosed with OSA poses serious problems for the industry.

The FMCSA has reported that their surveys show that OSA affects more than 40 percent of commercial truck drivers in the United States today. With the cost of a single fatal commercial vehicle accident of 3.6 million dollars and FMCSA reporting that 13 percent of the 4,000 fatal crashes a year result from symptoms of fatigue or other physical issues, the cost in human life and property is already enormously high.

Currently, each state sets its own OSA medical standards and has the right to suspend a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) if a person has sleep apnea. There is a concerted push for federally mandated OSA testing with the FMCSA’s medical review board (the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners) making recommendations and guidelines for mandatory screening.

These recommendations include screening of all drivers that have a BMI greater than 35. Drivers diagnosed with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) measurement greater than 20 would be disqualified from driving pending evaluation and treatment for OSA. Those diagnosed with OSA would be required to begin CPAP and show proof of compliance.

The evidence is available showing the cost and health benefits of CPAP therapy with the sleep apnea machine for truckers with OSA. One study used insurance claims records to evaluate the effects of obstructive sleep apnea treatment in commercial motor vehicle drivers. The study compared the cost of 156 truck drivers who received CPAP or other types of treatment for OSA and 92 truck drivers who were diagnosed with sleep apnea but were not treated. The results showed that the health plan costs for the treated drivers decreased an average of $2,700 in the first year and another $3,100 in the second year compared to no change for untreated drivers.

While federally mandated OSA testing regulations are not assured, the savings in lives, healthcare costs, and careers is beyond dispute. Some major trucking firms have already implemented testing protocols and payment structures to help defray costs along with insurance support for things like sleep apnea machine parts for treatment.

Unfortunately, the majority of motor carriers and drivers remain in a cost-versus-income quandary with no clear way forward. The hope is that the push by organizations like the FMCSA will lead to those federal regulation standards and viable payment options that allow truckers and companies to stay on the road and in business while remaining healthy and wide awake.

For additional information on various topics concerning sleep apnea and CPAP products, please refer to our blog.  It is constantly updated and offers free advice and information.  If you’d like to learn more about the quality sleep apnea products we carry, or if you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to call us at (866) 414-9700, or you can contact us through our website. http://www.thecpapshop.com/contact-us

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As well informed OSA patients know, the body’s metabolism, venous system, and oxidation are inextricably linked to all of the long-term health risks of the condition. The link between these life-threatening conditions such as stroke, heart disease, and diabetes relative to these bodily systems is irrefutable and becoming clearer each day. Now, high blood sugar levels, one of the serious markers for development of diabetes in OSA patients, is revealing that treatment of the condition with CPAP therapy with any of today’s advanced systems like the ResMed S9 CPAP line of machines can help lower those blood sugar levels.

High blood sugar levels are just one of the many conditions associated with metabolic syndrome, which is endemic of OSA patients. Along with excess body fat around the waist or abnormal cholesterol levels, they increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

A new study shows that sleep apnea treatment is linked with better blood sugar levels among people with pre-diabetes. In the study, researchers had 39 people with pre-diabetes and sleep apnea undergo two weeks of either CPAP treatment or a placebo. At the beginning and the end of the study, they tested the participants for how their body’s used glucose via an oral glucose tolerance test. The resulting difference between pre and post- CPAP treatment study participants showed better glucose metabolism after the two-week treatment than the placebo participants.

With more than 28 million Americans with type 2 diabetes and the numbers paralleling the obesity rates higher, the correlation between diabetes, high blood sugar levels, obesity, and OSA have prompted further study of CPAP and glucose metabolism. One of the more recent studies from the Sleep, Metabolism and Health Center at the University of Chicago suggests that CPAP therapy also reduces glucose levels in type 2 diabetics with OSA.

These studies also suggest that continued use of optimized and monitored CPAP therapy can decrease blood sugar levels even more dramatically over time in both pre-diabetic and type 2 diabetic OSA patients. With the most technologically advanced CPAP machines such as the S9 series of ResMed CPAP’s, physicians and sleep therapists can better monitor the patient’s apnea events via internal data monitors. This data allows them to make fine adjustments to the system in order to optimize the therapy benefits.

As researchers delve deeper into the human body and conduct larger and more specific research and trials surrounding OSA and CPAP therapy benefits in the short and long term, it will surely result in advances in treatment and therapy technology as well as prevention. What we already know for sure is that the earlier that OSA is diagnosed and treated in a person’s life, the healthier they will be over what can be a longer life.

For additional information on various topics concerning sleep apnea and CPAP products, please refer to our blog.  It is constantly updated and offers free advice and information.  If you’d like to learn more about the quality sleep apnea products we carry, or if you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to call us at (866) 414-9700, or you can contact us through our website. http://www.thecpapshop.com/contact-us

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Since we are not physicians, the advice we give here is general, and should be verified with your personal physician or cardiologist.  However, we do want to make our CPAP users aware of the risks associated with sleep apnea and the major link between sleep apnea and heart disease.

A Cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Virend Somers, authored a report in the July 29, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, where he discussed the importance of sleep apnea on heart health.

Most heart attacks occur in the day, generally between 6 A.M. and noon. Having one during the night, when the heart should be most at rest, means that something unusual happened. Somers and his colleagues have been working for a decade to show that sleep apnea can be a major contributor to a nighttime heart attack.  Dr.Virend states that “taking one baby aspirin a day (before bed) can reduce the consequences of a heart attack”.

If you have sleep apnea and use CPAP therapy, it is recommended to keep a bottle of Aspirin by your bedside.  Knowledge is key recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack can be life saving.  Heart attack symptoms include:

• Left arm pain
• Chin pain
• Sweating
• Nausea
• There is sometimes NO pain in the chest

Unfortunately, approximately 60% of all people who had a heart attack during their sleep did not wake up.  If you wake up from sleep and feel you are having a heart attack, immediately dissolve two aspirin pills on your tongue.

This should be immediately followed by a call to 911.  If you live alone, let a neighbor or a family member who lives close know what has occurred.  When you are on the phone with the 911 operator, say “heart attack!” and that you have taken 2 Aspirin.

Do not lie down.  Take a seat near the front door, and wait for the arrival of the EMTs.

The post Heart Attacks and Their Relation to Sleep Apnea – Be Prepared! appeared first on The CPAP Shop.

With the Smartphone now a ubiquitous accoutrement for almost everyone, it was just a matter of time before there were apps to assist OSA patients in a variety of ways. From basic snoring indicators to highly sophisticated devices with numerous data parameters to aid in the diagnosis and self-education of OSA, there seems to be a device for everyone with new device developments on the near horizon.

Among the more general devices is the Snoring U app by Personal Technologies – Health Monitoring (PTech HM). The app is designed to “nudge” sleepers when they snore and “chart” their snoring activities throughout the night. The “nudge,” a sound or vibration, is triggered by an algorithm set that is applied to noise level, noise pattern and the desired user behavior. The app also records your sleep and charts noise levels through a noise gauge, allowing users to view and listen to their sleep session. The app provides a summary of time slept, snoring frequency and volume, and “nudges” received.

The SnoreLab app records, measures, and tracks snoring by measuring snoring intensity (Snore Score) in order to tests the effectiveness of snoring remedies while also tracking the impact of lifestyle factors. Still in development, the new app from Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland will record and analyze sounds while sleeping and predicts if the snoring is endemic of sleep apnea.

                                   SleepMapper Mobile App Screenshots

On the OSA educational and data front, the SleepMapper mobile app from Philips Respironics uses a web-based platform to give sleep apnea patients guidance and information on their sleep therapy via their Respironics CPAP Machine. As one of the most recent additions to the extensive line of Respironics CPAP supplies, the app includes information like the duration of continuous use of their CPAP machine and the percentage of fit provided by the mask.

The Sleep snore/ Apnea/ talk Recorder from GRsoft Labs is an app especially designed for the people with snoring, apnea and sleep talking problems. The app records the sounds that have been produced during the night. Features include time and decibel graph and calibration for automatically detecting room noise level among others.

Far more sophisticated sleep apnea apps are being developed and tested that are meant to provide far more granular data regarding snoring and sleep apnea. At least one of the devices being tested provides everything from measurement of breathing and movement patterns to remote data access for doctors.

While none of the devices currently on the market or in development claims to accurately predict OSA in patients to any degree rivaling sleep studies in clinics or with home devices, they do play an important role in raising OSA awareness. With costs being generally low for many of these devices, they can provide educational opportunities as well as spur people to get tested and work with their physicians regarding diagnosis and treatment.

For additional information on various topics concerning sleep apnea and CPAP products, please refer to our blog.  It is constantly updated and offers free advice and information.  If you’d like to learn more about the quality sleep apnea products we carry, or if you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to call us at (866) 414-9700, or you can contact us through our website. http://www.thecpapshop.com/contact-us

The post An App to Determine If Your Snoring Could be Sleep Apnea appeared first on The CPAP Shop.

In addition to the many life-altering injuries that veterans must deal with, recent years have seen a dramatic increase in veterans suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). With more than 114,103 vets and retirees drawing apnea payments, Veterans Administration (VA) compensation for sleep apnea is now estimated to exceed $1.2 billion annually. While obesity remains the top risk factor for the general public as well as veterans in contracting OSA, VA medical experts are also citing troop exposure to dust and smoke in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq as contributing factors.

Courtesy of The U.S. Army

Since 1996, the VA has been compensating veterans for sleep apnea and prescribing CPAP therapy with a sleep apnea machine as the most effective treatment. However, there is some concern that there may be some alleged abuse in terms of vets applying for VA ‘disability’ based upon sleep apnea. In addition, there is some disagreement among the medical community (both civilian and military) and the Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD).that those receiving CPAP therapy are no longer disabled.

With the growing numbers of veterans diagnosed with OSA, researchers in the medical community have begun to look at the connections between war, OSA and other related conditions. Researchers at the Wayne State University (WSU) School of Medicine have been studying the link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obstructive sleep apnea and other chronic health conditions. The study results are published in the October 2012 issue of Psychosomatic Medicine in the article “Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Health in Immigrants.”

The results from the study show that Iraq war vets suffering from PTSD and depression were 43 times more likely than pre-Gulf War immigrants to report OSA and its long-term health risks. However, researchers acknowledge the difficulty in diagnosing OSA in veterans due to their routinely seeing their fractured sleep patterns as symptoms of PTSD alone. This may point to a potential underestimation of the number of veterans with OSA as only a fraction of those with the condition are actually properly diagnosed.

In order to remedy this, the military has been working hard to increase OSA awareness among veterans. In addition to encouraging proper diagnosis, those veterans revealed to have OSA are also being educated on the effectiveness of a sleep apnea machine. In addition, the civilian and military medical community is also educating them on alternatives therapies as well as CPAP therapy as part of the educational outreach.

Non-Compliance is as prevalent in the veteran community as in the general population. As one way to combat this, the VA has also been conducting clinical trials utilizing Telemedicine to improve veteran sleep apnea care. The video teleconferencing intervention utilizes audio/visual conferencing telemedicine systems that allow physicians and sleep experts to interact with the patient in their home environment from the start of treatment. The goal is to help the patient to better understand the CPAP therapy process while also giving the provider better access to the patient on a more regular basis.

In some quarters, the telemedicine augmentation has moved beyond the trial phase. The
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in the Texas Medical Center has introduced a new service known as “TeleSleep.” The pilot program connects OSA patients and their primary care doctors at outlying VA satellite clinics with sleep specialists back at the Houston VA hospital via video conferencing.

It is clear that continuing research into the connections between war zone environments and the many health conditions that afflict veterans during and after deployment will further the cause of treating veterans with OSA. The military’s educational outreach regarding the condition will eventually bring more veterans to the correct diagnosis and the help that they need to lead fuller healthier lives after their service to their country.

The CPAP Shop is committed to providing the finest equipment used in the treatment of sleep apnea. If you’d like to know more about how our CPAP machines and other products can benefit your therapy, please call us at (866) 414-9700, or you can contact us through our website. http://www.thecpapshop.com/contact-us

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The study of sleep has produced a tremendous amount of new and important research over the last decade.  The negative implications of sleep deprivation have been correlated to many things including weight gain and obesity, high blood pressure, irritability, lack of focus, sexual dysfunction, poor personal relationships, traffic accidents, cancer, stroke and heart attack to name a few.  Conversely, consistent and deep sleep not only helps to combat the aforementioned, it aids in fighting disease, curbs stress and helps you live longer.  Sleep is as somewhat like the brain’s food.

Recently, interesting research from Christopher M. Barnes, who is an assistant professor of management at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business was published in the Harvard Business Review.  Mr. Barnes worked in the Fatigue Countermeasures branch of the Air Force Research Laboratory before pursuing his PhD in Organizational Behavior at Michigan State University.  So he brings valuable insight and perspective to the study of sleep deprivation and its affect in the workplace.  In his article, he correlates unethical behavior with a person’s self-control.  He postulates that the workplace has many temptations from small things like claiming another’s work as your own to actual criminal acts.  Barnes states “self-control is a key determinant of whether or not people fall to or resist such temptations. When their ability to exert self-control is high, they can resist. When it is low, they cave”.

So what does this have to do with sleep, you ask?  Barnes cites research which indicates the lack of sleep drains glucose from the brain in an area that is responsible for self-control.  Conversely, sleep restores glucose to the brain.  Using this premise, Barnes conducted four studies which determined that the lack of sleep lead to high levels of unethical behavior.  Associating the lack of sleep to low levels of glucose in the brain followed a pattern leading to a decrease in self control.  This result is further supported by other research which found the lack of sleep lead to deviant behavior like falsifying receipts.

What did they consider lack of sleep?  Amazingly, the research found that “small amounts of lost sleep that produced noticeable effects on unethical behavior”.  In fact, in one cited example, only a difference of 22 minutes separated the ethical from the unethical.  In the other study, those who slept for less than 6 hours a night were more likely to engage in unethical behavior than those who slept for more than six hours.  Although no research indicates this, it would seem those afflicted by sleep apnea have to shoulder an additional significant burden besides the health concerns which are derived from lack of sleep.

Barnes theorizes that the more companies and managers push employees to work longer hours and be available constantly; they are actually inviting a culture of unethical behavior by their actions.  However, what is not identified is the growth of sleep disorders such as sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea is known to afflict millions with the vast majority of those undiagnosed.  If sleep issues are plaguing various aspects of your life, a simple test could potentially prove to be a life saver.  Sleep apnea can generally be alleviated by CPAP therapy through the use of a CPAP machine connected to a CPAP mask.

Sleep deprivation has proven to be not only a serious health concern but also potentially ruinous to personal and business relationships.  Getting to the root cause for the lack of sleep is necessary to determine the proper course of action.  Knowing that the vast majority of those afflicted by sleep apnea go undiagnosed, a simple in-home test to determine if sleep apnea is present can positively impact your quality of life forever.

The CPAP Shop is committed to enhancing the lives of people with sleep apnea through information and high quality therapeutic products.  If you have questions about CPAP Therapy please call (866) 414-9700, or you can contact us through our website at www.thecpapshop.com

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