Anyone who suffers from sleep apnea knows the problems that come with it.
Dr. Srikant Kondapaneni, co-medical director of the Englewood Hospital Sleep Medicine Center, thinks Englewood Health can help.
Last week, the hospital announced it has begun offering Inspire Therapy, a groundbreaking treatment for obstructive sleep apnea that gives patients better quality sleep and improved health.
Inspire Therapy is a minimally invasive, implantable therapy device that offers a safe alternative for patients who cannot use or tolerate continuous positive airway pressure.
“Many patients suffer from sleep apnea because they cannot tolerate CPAP, the standard treatment with a mask and hose,” he said. “Now we can offer patients another effective option that improves their sleep and ultimately their health. And 90 percent of sleeping partners report that their snoring has disappeared or decreased, helping everyone sleep better.”
OSA occurs when the throat muscles relax during sleep, blocking the airway and preventing oxygen from flowing to the brain. The brain senses the lack of oxygen and wakes up just long enough to take a breather. This cycle repeats throughout the night, causing poor quality sleep. OSA is associated with long-term health problems.
For most patients, OSA can be successfully treated with a CPAP machine, but for those with moderate to severe OSA who cannot wear a CPAP mask, Inspire can be a life-changing alternative.
Inspire Therapy is the only FDA-approved OSA therapy that works inside the patient's body. The device is implanted in a short, outpatient procedure and delivers mild stimulation while you sleep to open your airways and allow oxygen to flow naturally. Inspire uses a small, handheld remote to turn it on before you go to sleep and off when you wake up.
Dr. Kirk Levy, the other co-medical director of the Englewood Hospital Sleep Medicine Center, said it's much more convenient now to test for and treat OSA than it was in the past, and it's very important to do so.
“Sleep apnea can lead to other serious health problems, particularly affecting the heart and brain, so it's important to get diagnosed and treated as soon as the first sign of concern appears,” he said. “We're pleased to now be able to offer this clinically proven treatment to sleep apnea patients who suffer from CPAP.”
Our expertise and technological advancements in sleep medicine, plus Inspire Therapy, ensure that Englewood Health remains the premier destination for sleep health and this safe, effective treatment.
