diagnosed

Mar
14
2008

Medicare announces final CPAP coverage policy for obstructive sleep apnea

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded Medicare coverage for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices to include beneficiaries who have been diagnosed, using a home sleep test, with obstructive sleep apnea. CMS also announced changes to simplify certain test requirements.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition characterized by the complete cessation of breathing for a period of at least 10 seconds (apnea) during sleep. In most instances, obstructive sleep apnea is diagnosed by counting the number of sleep disturbances that occur during a specific time interval. Up to four million Medicare beneficiaries may suffer from some form of obstructive sleep apnea.


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Nov
13
2006

Research questions use of sleep meds for apneics

Prescription sleep aids may do little to improve the use of continuous positive airway pressure devices (CPAP) among patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

A new study published in the November issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), finds that patients with OSA who were given prescription sleep aids were no more likely to use their CPAP machines than patients with obstructive sleep apnea taking a placebo.


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May
25
2005

Sleep apnea, other breathing disorders common among asthmatics; may help predict severe asthma

When asthmatics are awake, they can turn to their inhalers to open their airways. But when they sleep, many of them continue to struggle with breathing — and an understanding of their sleep-related problems may help doctors better diagnose and treat their patients’ asthma, according to new University of Michigan Health System research.

Symptoms of sleep apnea and other breathing problems during sleep are common among people with asthma, according to the research presented at the American Thoracic Society’s 2005 International Conference.


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Interesting Apnea Statistics
~~ Apnea in United States ~~

As of May 2, 2009 at 9:47 p.m. (-0500) (ET), the U.S. population
was 306,340,710. Sleep researchers estimate approximately seven percent
of the population suffers from obstructive sleep apnea. Using that
estimate, there are potentially 21,443,850 apneics in the U.S.

~~ Apnea around the world ~~

As of May 2, 2009 at 9:47 p.m. (-0500) (ET), the world population
was 6,777,286,604. Sleep researchers estimate approximately seven percent
of the population suffers from obstructive sleep apnea. Using that
estimate, there are potentially 474,410,062 apneics in the world.