As Winnipeg’s top provider of Sleep Apnea management services, Liberty Sleep Apnea Canada takes pride in building relationships with their patients. They are passionate about providing personalized treatment and integrating medical expertise into their practice. Whether you suffer from sleep apnea, are considering a CPAP machine, or are looking for a more natural solution, Liberty Sleep Apnea has you covered.
Treatment options
If you have been awaking during the night with a choking sensation, you may be suffering from central sleep apnea. This disorder can cause you to stop breathing for seconds to minutes. It can also lead to other health problems such as depression, irritability, and morning headaches. The symptoms of sleep apnea can be difficult to deal with, but treatment is possible.
Non-invasive treatment options can include oral appliance therapy. This appliance, which looks like a sports mouth guard or orthodontic retainer, is worn at night to open the airway. This treatment will allow you to breathe normally and enjoy peaceful sleep. Your treatment option will depend on the severity of your symptoms and how long you’ve suffered from these symptoms.
The first step in treating sleep apnea is to get diagnosed. If you have a family history of this condition, your doctor can use a sleep study to determine whether you have a disorder. They’ll use a PSG test to determine the cause of the problem and to determine whether other sleep disorders are present.
Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV)
Adaptive servo-ventilating (ASV) is a noninvasive device used to treat sleep apnea. It continuously adjusts pressure based on the patient’s breathing patterns. It can also be used in patients with chronic pain induced by opioids.
The study showed that patients in the ASV group experienced a higher rate of death from all causes compared to the control group. The hazard ratio for deaths from any cause was 1.28 and for cardiovascular causes, it was 1.34. There were similar findings in sensitivity analyses.
Although ASV is not a cure for sleep apnea, it can help reduce the risk of death and improve the quality of life in patients with central sleep apnea. Unlike with traditional CPAP machines, ASV is noninvasive and is safe for most patients. The success rate of ASV is 70%.
The ASV machine detects the abnormal breathing pattern of the patient and provides the pressure support necessary to maintain 90% of normal breathing. It continually adjusts to the patient’s breathing patterns and is considered more comfortable than other types of PAP therapy.
PSG
A polysomnography (PSG) is a diagnostic test that measures the breath, chest movement, REM sleep, heart rate, and brain activity during sleep. This test is painless and does not require puncturing the skin. It can be used to determine whether a patient has sleep apnea or other breathing disorders.
A PSG is the gold standard for sleep apnea diagnosis. It can detect the severity of the disease based on the physiologic signals the brain makes during sleep. The test is performed overnight and provides a detailed picture of the patient’s health. Because the signals are very detailed, it is useful for determining whether a person has apnea or not.
The reliability of a PSG is determined by comparing results from two different studies. Using a statistical analysis, correlation coefficients and sensitivity and specificity are calculated. The two methods share a high inter-class correlation coefficient, and consistency is achieved in approximately two-thirds of cases. However, variability exists in approximately one-third of patients. A high first-night AHI and supine-predominant SA were significant factors related to variability.
Treatment costs
Insufficient public funding for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the largest barriers to acquiring effective treatment. Moreover, the reimbursement models vary considerably across provinces, leading to disparity in access to services for individuals with OSA. In order to address this disparity, stronger regulations are needed to protect patients from potential conflicts of interest.
The lack of adequate public funding for OSA treatment has led to a heavy reliance on private companies to diagnose and treat patients. Sales of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices constitute a major source of revenue for these private companies. This leaves patients unnecessarily vulnerable to the financial interest of providers who may be more interested in generating profits from the treatment.
In order to get a full diagnosis of sleep apnea, it is often necessary to undergo a sleep study. This test, known as a polysomnogram, can help determine whether the patient has a sleeping disorder. An overnight sleep study can cost up to $5,000. An at-home test, however, costs $150 to $500. If the patient has insurance, their insurance may cover a portion of the cost.