EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
June 9, 2008, at 12:01 a.m.
 
CONTACT:
Kathleen McCann
(708) 492-0930, ext. 9316
 
WESTCHESTER, Ill. – Higher neighborhood socioeconomic factors and social support are independently related to improved continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) adherence, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Monday at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).
 
The study, authored by Alec Platt, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, focused on 275 newly diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients.
 
According to the results, those who lived in poor, low education and low employment neighborhoods spent less time using their CPAP machine than patients from better-off neighborhoods. Even after adjusting the data for individual demographic characteristics, the effects of living in a neighborhood with low socioeconomic status persisted. 
 
“The results from this study signify that patients from disadvantaged neighborhoods may face greater challenges in benefiting from CPAP,” said Dr. Platt. “The next step is to figure out how to help patients living in these neighborhoods spend more time on their CPAP machines so they can be more awake and alert during the day, and also, perhaps, avoid the long-term cardiovascular complications that come from compromised breathing during sleep.”
 
OSA is a sleep-related breathing disorder that causes your body to stop breathing during sleep. OSA occurs when the tissue in the back of the throat collapses and blocks the airway. This keeps air from getting into the lungs. It is estimated that four percent of men and two percent of women have OSA, and millions more remain undiagnosed.
 
First introduced as a treatment option for sleep apnea in 1981, CPAP is the most common and effective treatment for OSA. CPAP provides a steady stream of pressurized air to patients through a mask that they wear during sleep. This airflow keeps the airway open, preventing the pauses in breathing that characterize sleep apnea and restoring normal oxygen levels.
 
On average, most adults need seven to eight hours of nightly sleep to feel alert and well-rested.
 
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) offers the following tips on how to get a good night’s sleep:
  • Follow a consistent bedtime routine.
  • Establish a relaxing setting at bedtime.
  • Get a full night’s sleep every night.
  • Avoid foods or drinks that contain caffeine, as well as any medicine that has a stimulant, prior to bedtime.
  • Do not go to bed hungry, but don’t eat a big meal before bedtime either.
  • Avoid any rigorous exercise within six hours of your bedtime.
  • Make your bedroom quiet, dark and a little bit cool.
  • Get up at the same time every morning.
Those who think they might have OSA, or another sleep disorder, are urged to consult with their primary care physician or a sleep specialist.
 
More information about OSA is available from the AASM at http://www.sleepeducation.com/Disorder.aspx?id=7.
 
CPAP Central (www.SleepEducation.com/CPAPCentral), a Web site created by the AASM, provides the public with comprehensive, accurate and reliable information about CPAP. CPAP Central includes expanded information about OSA and CPAP, including how OSA is diagnosed, the function of CPAP, the benefits of CPAP and an overview of what to expect when beginning CPAP, the position of experts on CPAP, and tools for success. CPAP Central also features an interactive slide set that educates the public about the warning signs of OSA.
The annual SLEEP meeting brings together an international body of 5,000 leading researchers and clinicians in the field of sleep medicine to present and discuss new findings and medical developments related to sleep and sleep disorders.
 
More than 1,150 research abstracts will be presented at the SLEEP meeting, a joint venture of the AASM and the Sleep Research Society. The three-and-a-half-day scientific meeting will bring to light new findings that enhance the understanding of the processes of sleep and aid the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy and sleep apnea.
 
SleepEducation.com, a patient education Web site created by the AASM, provides information about various sleep disorders, the forms of treatment available, recent news on the topic of sleep, sleep studies that have been conducted and a listing of sleep facilities.
 
Abstract Title: Neighborhood Socioeconomic Factors Predict Initial CPAP Adherence Better than Disease or Patient-Level Characteristics
Presentation Date: Monday, June 9
Category: Sleep Related Breathing Disorders
Abstract ID: 0452
 

 

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