Philips introduces intelligent sleep therapy system to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea

During the scientific day, Philips will also demonstrate the new Philips Respironics Sleep Therapy System that treats Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). This new system is a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) solution with intelligent technology that simplifies patient management by treating instead of monitoring patients and recognizing when therapy needs are changing, while offering sophisticated comfort enhancements.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is one of the most common sleep disorders worldwide. It is a condition that causes a person's breathing to stop repeatedly during the night, causing disruption in their sleep as they struggle to breathe. As a result, they never get the deep, restorative sleep that is needed. OSA can not only negatively impact a person's overall quality of life and productivity, but it can also potentially lead to serious health issues, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythm, strokes and other conditions.

The vast majority of people fail to seek medical diagnosis for sleep disordered breathing. Individuals with moderate to severe OSA often have a number of symptoms including loud, disruptive snoring, gasping for air or choking during sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness. However, only a fraction of such people have been diagnosed. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most common form of sleep-disordered breathing, affecting approximately 2% of women and 4% of men.

A recent survey conducted by Philips in five markets across the globe revealed the need for education on OSA and other sleep-disordered breathing which, too often, are not being taken seriously enough among the individuals suffering from them.

OSA can easily be diagnosed by physicians upon assessing a patient's complaints and symptoms. If sleep apnea is suspected, a patient will be referred for a diagnostic sleep study known as a polysomnogram (PSG), to confirm the type and severity of the sleep apnea, as well as the appropriate treatment.

Once OSA is diagnosed as the cause of a patient's complaints and symptoms, it usually can be effectively treated with CPAP therapy, a non-invasive approach which is the standard treatment of choice for OSA. CPAP provides a gentle flow of air pressure through the nasal passage using a mask, preventing airway collapse to allow an OSA patient to breathe freely during sleep. The CPAP device is equipped with various features to increase patient comfort during therapy.

"As a leader in the sleep market and the treatment of OSA, we design sleep therapy products that should help simplify healthcare providers' work," said Diederik Zeven, Senior Director and General Manager of Philips Healthcare in the Middle East. "Our products help encourage patients' acceptance of OSA treatment through increased comfort to improve sleep, and ultimately, their quality of life."