NEWS - MAY 2008

SLEEP DISORDERS

Those who don't have problems sleeping probably take it for granted.  Besides the obvious after-effects (drowsiness, fatigue, etc.), conditions such as sleep apnea are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke.  Sleep apnea is associated with brain signals that initiate throat muscle relaxation.  As the airway gets blocked, patients must wake up to breathe. 

Medicare Approval Of In-Home Sleep Testing Studies

Sleep disorder testing typically involves an overnight stay in a sleep lab. In addition to the time and expense, patients can wait months to get an appointment. Medicare's recent ruling to approve use of Type II, Type III, and Type IV in-home testing devices is expected to speed up diagnosis and treatment for sleep apnea patients. Detailed information about testing requirements has not yet been released, but industry analysts expect local coverage determinations will solve that issue at a later date. 

In-home testing is generally considered to be accurate if competently administered.  Consumers are likely to benefit from the new Medicare ruling. Treatment payment based on an in-home study and diagnosis will be limited to three months, after which documented treatment effectiveness will ensure ongoing reimbursement. 

For more information, visit: Respiratory-Report.

Sleep Deprivation & Brain Shutdowns

A study published recently in the Journal of Neuroscience associates sleep deprivation with "brain shutdowns" (a hovering between sleep and wakefulness). Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine who identified the condition noted that more structural changes are taking place during the shutdowns than had been seen or expected.  Even one night of sleep deprivation may result in dramatic temporary lapses in attention and visual processing capabilities.

For more information, visit: Advanced Sleep & Breathing Disorders  

Sleep Apnea Risk For Stroke Victims

Findings from two new studies identified increased risks associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) for certain types of patients. According to research conducted by a Swedish team, stroke victims with OSA died sooner than those who did not have the sleep disorder.  A total of 132 stroke patients were studied for ten years, with those who had the greatest obstructive apnea-hypopnea index showing the highest likelihood of an early death.

With a larger patient pool, Spanish researchers noted that treating OSA with continuous positive airway pressure for five or more hours a night helped patients with hypertension lower their blood pressure.  Results from both studies were presented at the 2008 International Conference of the American Thoracic Society (Toronto, Canada).

For more information, visit: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.