Sleep apnea Facts

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is caused by obstruction of the upper airway during sleep, interrupting airflow and reducing blood oxygen levels. Common signs include loud snoring, gasping or choking during sleep.  Sufferers stop breathing for 10 seconds or longer, up to hundreds of times per night, often reducing blood oxygen to dangerously low levels. 

More than 43 million Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.  To put this in perspective, according to AAA, approximately the same number of Americans – 43 million – traveled for Thanksgiving in 2012

• Over 85% of people with OSA don’t know it – yet this syndrome can be deadly 

• OSA can occur in anyone, though it is more common in men, adults and obese patients 

• Patients with OSA are at an increased risk of other chronic diseases and accidents: 

2x risk of stroke 

4x risk of mortality within four years 

5x risk of cardiovascular event 

7x risk of a motor vehicle accident (30% of accidents involving commercial truck drivers are sleep related) 

 OSA frequently coexists with obesity, depression, diabetes, stroke, hypertension and erectile dysfunction, and can cause or aggravate these conditions 

Home Sleep Testing is easier and more cost effective than Sleep Center Testing for many patients Approximately 3.5 million diagnostic sleep tests are ordered each year.  An estimated 80% of these tests are appropriate for Home Sleep Testing, where the patient is able to complete a sleep study in the comfort and convenience of his/her own home. 

• Home Sleep Testing eliminates waiting periods and improves test completion rates:  It can take several weeks to get an appointment at a Sleep Center; Home Sleep Testing can begin as soon as you receive your test kit within 48 hours of ordering online in many cases.

• The natural at-home sleep environment facilitates good quality sleep, improving test quality  

• Home Sleep Testing is affordable – for both payers and patients – typically producing a 75% savings versus overnight in-facility testing