The Aviisha Medical Institute’s DriveSafe Program is lowering costs associated with the testing and treatment of sleep apnea for commercial drivers. Launched in February, the program is also aimed at raising awareness about this serious disease and helping drivers stay compliant.

The DriveSafe Program is the institute’s latest effort to combat the effects of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea has recently been spotlighted in the commercial driver industry.

In January, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that it had adopted recommendations to have all commercial drivers with a body mass index of 35 or higher tested for sleep apnea. A person with a body mass index of 35 or higher is considered obese and is at high risk of having sleep apnea. Read the rest of this entry

The Snoring Center, the nation’s leading provider of minimally invasive, office-based treatment for snoring and sleep apnea, including the Pillar Procedure from Medtronic, announced the addition of a Gulf Coast center to open January 6.

“We continue to find innovative professionals like Dr. Weiss to join our team and help achieve our mission to change the way people think about snoring and other sleep-related disorders”

Dr. Ray Weiss, a Board Certified Otolaryngologist, will serve as Medical Director of the Snoring Center’s Ocean Spring location, serving patients along the Gulf Coast, from Mobile, Alabama to New Orleans, Louisiana.

“I am proud to be able to bring relief to patients with the support of The Snoring Center,” said Dr. Weiss. “We are working to improve quality  of life for patients all over the world. Continuing to expand The Snoring Center team into new markets allows ease of access for the men and women seeking minimally invasive, office-based snoring and sleep apnea treatment, and I am glad to be a part of it.” Read the rest of this entry

St. Luke’s Sleep Medicine and Research Center is now enrolling participants in a clinical study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation (HGNS) System, an implantable device, to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

“Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which involves a pressurized mask over the nose, is considered the ‘gold standard’ for the treatment of sleep apnea, but many people have difficulty tolerating it,” said Paula Schweitzer, PhD, St. Luke’s Sleep Medicine and Research Center director of research. “This implantable device offers a new approach for those who have not had success with CPAP or other sleep apnea treatments.”

People interested in learning if they qualify for the Apnex Clinical Study may call 888-975-3370 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            888-975-3370     end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit stlukes-stl.com/sleep. Qualified participants will receive the medical device and care free of charge.

A new study presented in November at the American College of Allergy, Asthma  and Immunology Annual Meeting found that obese adolescents have an increased risk of sleep apnea or abnormal breathing during sleep.

Previous research has shown that obese children and teenagers are at higher  risk of health-related problems, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood  pressure and asthma. Children who are overweight are nearly 2-1/2 times more  likely to have asthma than those who are not overweight. Now, this new study  highlights how obesity may interfere with a child’s ability to have restful  sleep.

“Quality nighttime sleep is a key component for advanced executive function  in children and teenagers,” says Sushmita Mikkilineni, M.D., Director Pediatric  Pulmonology for Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (CHoNJ) at Newark Beth Israel  Medical Center. “Untreated pediatric sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, can  exact a heavy toll on young people. Children suffering from sleep disorders may  be hyperactive, inattentive, and chronically tired.” Read the rest of this entry

Advocate Condell Medical Center, along with the Alert, Well, And Keeping Energetic support group (A.W.A.K.E.), is hosting a CPAP vendor fair on Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., in the conference center at 801 South Milwaukee Ave. in Libertyville. The event is free and open to the public.

Sleep apnea patients, family members and physicians are invited to learn about new continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) equipment, masks, and other items for clients. Vendors include; DeVilbiss, Phillips Respironics, ResMed, Candance, Fisher & Paykel along with Dr. Debbie Kline, an oral appliance specialist. Additionally, Advocate Home Health Care will offer free CPAP equipment pressure checks.  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

Removing enlarged tonsils and adenoids may help prevent high blood pressure and heart damage in children who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study conducted at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. In some children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), adenotonsillectomy can result in significantly lower blood pressure within 24 months of the procedure.

The results will be presented at the ATS 2011 International Conference in Denver.

Children with enlarged tonsils and adenoids are particularly prone to developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), said study lead author Lisa Burns, MD, (Pulmonary Fellow at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center). And, in children and adults, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been linked with elevations in both daytime and nighttime blood pressure. obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can also interfere with the normal “dip” in blood pressure levels that occur during sleep. Persistent elevations in blood pressure can result in organ damage, including heart damage. Read the rest of this entry

Waikato District Health Board, An international sleep research study that requires at least 350 New Zealand volunteers, some at Waikato Hospital and some at Hutt Hospital, may lead to a new medical approach for the treatment of sleep apnea.

The study, known as Sleep Apnea Cardiovascular Endpoints Study (SAVE), is attempting to discover if the use of continuous positive airway pressure can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or heart failure in patients with sleep apnea.

Michael Hlavac, New Zealand SAVE Coordinator said, “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure is a common treatment for sleep apnea but we don’t know if it can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or heart failure which is associated with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

“Some research has shown that there may be a relationship between untreated sleep apnea and heart disease, stroke and impaired glucose metabolism (pre-diabetes).”

There are five sites in New Zealand looking for volunteers:

1. North Island: Waikato Hospital, Tauranga Hospital and Hutt Hospital.
2. South Island: Otago Respiratory Research Unit and Canterbury Respiratory Research Group.

5000 people from China, Australia, Brazil and India will be involved in study. Read the rest of this entry

SleepApneaDisorder/ [ Press Release ]/ Miami, Fl/  April 20, 2011/ With sleep apnea on the rise and only a handful of qualified dentists to  treat the disorder, education is more necessary than ever.  Sleep  Group Solutions, a leader in seminars focusing on dental sleep medicine announces their partnership with DentalXP,  the fastest growing dental education website in the world.  Their unity will  serve the dental community by providing top level education, supported by the  PACE & C.E.R.P Continuing Education Program-which will deliver sufficient CE  requirements.

Through this joint venture, participants of Sleep Group Solutions 2 day  seminars will be granted 16 CE Credits (14 lecture and 2 participation) through  DentalXP.  These exhilarated courses are designed in such a manner that the  participants have an abundance of knowledge on obstructive sleep apnea(OSA), appliances, billing,  insurance and protocol to integrate sleep into their general dentistry practice. Read the rest of this entry

SleepApneaDisorder/ [ Press Release ]/ OKLAHOMA CITY,/– Graymark Healthcare Inc. the nation’s second largest provider of diagnostic sleep services and an innovator in comprehensive care for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), has joined forces with the Oklahoma Heart Institute of the Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma to offer comprehensive sleep medicine services to city residents and the surrounding area.

The 691-bed Hillcrest Medical Center is the flagship of the Hillcrest HealthCare System (HHS). HHS is one of the largest health care systems in the city region, with approximately 5,000 employees who serve the communities of eastern Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Heart Institute (OHI), located on the Hillcrest Medical Center campus, is one of the state’s largest hospitals dedicated exclusively to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.

The new Oklahoma Heart Institute Sleep Care facility features six beds accommodating overnight stays in very comfortable surroundings designed for proper diagnosis, which is followed up by Graymark’s comprehensive sleep medicine program. The facility is designed to accommodate 75 to 125 patients per month, and benefits from Hillcrest’s existing highly-trained medical staff for the administration and management of Graymark’s comprehensive care model. Read the rest of this entry

One of the latest medical advances is the recent FDA approval of the use of the da Vinci Surgical System for transoral otolaryngologic surgical procedures to treat benign tumors and select malignant tumors in adults. The da Vinci Surgical System is a high-tech, robotic platform utilizing specialized instruments and a high performance vision system. The surgeon sits at a console and directs the movements of the system aided by a high-powered camera.

“We are very excited about the possibilities that robotic surgery has brought to otolaryngology, particularly in tongue, throat and mouth cancers,” says Dr. Harris. “The da Vinci Surgical System now allows us to remove the cancer from patients’ throats through the mouth with no external incisions or insertion of long-term tubes for breathing and feeding. This is a huge advantage over traditional open surgery, which may involve a long incision, bony cuts and often requires a breathing tube and possibly a feeding tube. Traditional surgery may also result in speech and swallowing deficits,” he explains.

The robotic surgery may provide other additional advantages as well. Some studies suggest that patients may be able to use a reduced amount of radiation and chemotherapy, or avoid ?it altogether.

Dr. Harris — the first and currently the only da Vinci Surgical System robotic technology-trained, minimally invasive otolaryngology surgeon in Wichita and the surrounding counties — has found robotic surgery beneficial in the treatment of sleep apnea.

“Until now, patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea and who were resistant to the CPAP [continuous positive airway pressure] had relatively few choices in treatment,” says ?Dr. Harris. “Robotic technology allows us to successfully perform tongue-based resection for much improved breathing and with a much shorter recovery.”

Dr. Harris currently sees patients in Newton and two Wichita locations. For more information, contact Dr. Harris at (316) 613-4680 or visit his bio page on www.wichitaclinic.com.

The American Thoracic Society has released a new official report recommending research priorities in incorporating ambulatory management of adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) into healthcare systems. The report identifies barriers preventing incorporation of portable monitor testing into clinical management pathways and recommends research and development needed to address those barriers.

The statement appears in the March 1, 2011, issue of the Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society.

It is estimated thatobstructive sleep apnea (OSA)occurs in roughly 20 million Americans, and occurs when the upper airway becomes constricted during sleep, blocking normal airflow and causing breathing to stop temporarily. Obesity is the greatest risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but the disorder can occur in people who are not overweight. obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is now widely recognized as a major public health concern and studies have linked obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and motor vehicle accidents. obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is diagnosed using polysomnography (PSG), a technique that measures a patient’s breathing and oxygen level during sleep. polysomnography (PSG) is generally performed at special healthcare facilities, resulting in limited accessibility to patients, specifically in rural areas. polysomnography (PSG) is expensive and patients have limited access to this specialized testing. In recent years, the use of less expensive, more accessible portable home monitoring to diagnose and manage patients with  obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)has gained favor, but studies regarding its use and patient outcomes are lacking. Read the rest of this entry

A peer-reviewed study in the February issue of Sleep Medicine found that Provent Sleep Apnea Therapy, a noninvasive, disposable nasal device, improved obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)—as measured by the number of breathing disruptions during sleep—in more than half of patients, leading them to feel more alert during the day. The study was conducted in patients who either had refused or were noncompliant with CPAP therapy.

The study, conducted at St Luke’s Hospital Sleep Medicine and Research Center in Chesterfield, Mo, included 59 patients and is titled “A convenient expiratory positive airway pressure nasal device for the treatment of sleep apnea in patients non-adherent with continuous positive airway pressure.” Read the rest of this entry

The Canadian Thoracic Society released new guidelines on sleep disordered breathing, which provide the latest recommendations for sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment. The guidelines are created for health-care professionals by physicians who are experts in sleep disordered breathing. They are designed to keep health-care professionals up to date on the most recent evidence about how to diagnose and manage sleep apnea.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a serious breathing disorder that causes sufferers to have dozens or hundreds of breathing pauses or “apneas” per night. These repeated periods of breathing pauses during sleep and the chronic sleep deprivation they cause have both physical and psychological consequences. People with untreated sleep apnea are more likely to have motor vehicle crashes, hypertension, and heart attacks, irregular heart beat stroke, depression, impotence and diabetes. Read the rest of this entry

Hypothyroidism is a condition where the body produces insufficient amounts of thyroid hormones, the most important of which is Thyroxine.  Hypothyroidism produces many complications in the body including fatigue, loss of muscle tone, weight gain and sleep apnea, amoung others. 

Thyroid hormones are necessary for normal growth, muscle development and basic cellular metabolism.   A diet that provides insufficient amounts of iodine is a leading cause of Hypothyroidism.  Another notable cause is childbirth, a small, but significant number of women develop this condition in the first year after giving birth.

Sleep Apnea is a condition where a person is constantly awoken by the body because breathing has stopped while sleeping. The link between Sleep Apnea and Hypothyroidism comes from the fact that one of the more frequent symptoms of Hypothyroidism is a swelling of the tongue and other tissues that line the mouth and throat. Sleeping on your back will greatly increase the chances of Sleep Apnea, but even sleeping on your side will not prevent all instances of  sleep apnea.

It is thought that the symptoms of Hypothyroidism ( swollen tongue and soft tissue in the mouth and throat) is responsible for the Sleep Apnea.  Treatment for the symptom of Sleep Apnea is not needed once the patient is diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, since treating the hypothyroidism will decrease the instances of sleep apnea.[ Read Complete Article By Peter Sedesse ...  ]