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Research Underway To Give Sleep Apnea Sufferers Relief And Rest

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008
by Lockergnome

For some, a full night’s rest can be anything but restful. That’s because they have sleep apnea, which causes them to struggle for breath in bouts throughout the night. Six percent of the population is affected by the condition — but many don’t even know they have it.

“They don’t make the connection between the fact that they snore loudly at night and they complain about being tired during the day,” says Samuel Krachman, D.O. , professor of medicine and director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Temple University School of Medicine and Hospital. “They think that they’re just tired, not getting enough sleep or just working too hard. But in reality, it’s related to the sleep apnea.”

Krachman is leading research on an experimental device to help patients who suffer from positional sleep apnea. Positional sleep apnea refers to patients who have episodes where they stop breathing when they’re on their back, but when they are on their side, the abnormal breathing resolves. Fifty percent of patients with mild sleep apnea (those who experience anywhere from five to 15 events an hour) and 20 percent of people with moderate sleep apnea (15 to 30 events an hour) have positional sleep apnea. Krachman explains how wearing the device, called Zzoma, works to reduce those episodes.

“Zzoma is a device which is worn around the chest area like a belt, with a device on the back, which is a firm, foam material wrapped in canvas to keep them from moving on their backs. Over the last year, we’ve been studying its use in treating patients with mild to moderate positional sleep apnea.”

The device was created by former Temple Fellow Joseph G. Crocetti. He and Krachman have worked together to treat positional sleep apnea. Their research has shown that the Zzoma device is less obtrusive and easier to use than the leading alternative, a continuous positive airway pressure machine or CPAP, a mask that blows air on a person’s face to keep the airway open.

“Although CPAP is very effective, the best studies have shown it’s only used correctly 50 percent of the time,” says Krachman. “That leaves many diagnosed with sleep apnea but not treated.”

Untreated sleep apnea can lead to a host of other medical problems. Just having sleep apnea is an independent risk factor for developing high blood pressure, coronary disease and heart failure. That’s why Krachman hopes the FDA approves Zzoma to treat positional sleep apnea, to give sufferers an effective alternative to the burden of CPAP.

[Megan Chiplock @ Temple University]

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One Comment

joe

October 11th, 2008
at 5:18pm

I have been a snorer for a long time. As I got older, my snoring has gotten more frequent and louder. I also noticed I was tired a lot and liked to take naps during the day. People complained about my snoring and I could not sleep in the same room with other people for fear of keeping them awake.

Finally, I asked my doctor about the problem and he had me try out a CPAP machine. The doc said my airway was closing off up to 70 times each hour, and that I stopped breathing for as long as one full minute at a time! He strongly recommended I start using the CPAP machine, since I was risking damage to my heart due to lack of oxygen.

I had read about CPAP machines before and always thought I would never be able to sleep with one, since I am somewhat claustrophobic. Surprisingly, it only took me a few minutes to get used to, and I was able to sleep comfortably from the very beginning with no problem.

The mask portion is just a small apparatus that fits on the nostrils to blow in air that keeps the throat inflated, thus preventing any snoring. Straps over the head are a little annoying, but they are necessary to keep the nose piece in place. If one changes sleeping positions at night, it’s possible for these straps to move, causing the nose piece to slip off.

I have been using a Dreamhelmet, a combination sleep mask sound-muffling pillow for years now, for sleeping at night and for napping during the day. I always find it hard to sleep without the Dreamhelmet, and I was afraid I would not be able to use it with the CPAP mask, but I was wrong about that too.

After I slept with the CPAP machine and mask for a short while, I tried wearing the Dreamhelmet over the CPAP, covering up the straps – voila, it worked like a charm! I found that the Dreamhelmet actually helps keep the straps in place when I change positions, so now I can sleep all night in comfort, not being bothered by sound, light, or changing positions. The CPAP and the Dreamhelmet are the perfect sleeping combination for me.

I now wake up rested, and I have energy that lasts all day long. I don’t feel so run down all the time or feel like I need an afternoon nap, but I still carry an extra Dreamhelmet in the car with me just in case I do need a nap.

What Do You Think?

 
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