GLEN BURNIE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NovaSom Inc., the leader in obstructive sleep apnea home testing, today announced the launch of a new sleep apnea education website, Apnea.com. The website is the first of its kind, dedicated to crystallizing the connection between sleep apnea and serious common medical conditions, highlighting the potentially dangerous consequences of living with undiagnosed sleep apnea and the overall health benefits of treatment. At-risk patients are encouraged to take control of their health, and to consider a convenient and accurate diagnosis with NovaSom home sleep testing.
Obstructive sleep apnea is more than loud snoring; in fact, it is one of the most serious medical conditions in the U.S., affecting 40 million Americans, of which 18 million have moderate to severe disease. Of these, a startling 85% of sufferers remain undiagnosed, due largely to a lack of awareness surrounding the disorder and its associated risks. Apnea.com focuses on six conditions most frequently linked to sleep apnea: Diabetes, Heart Conditions, Depression, Daytime Fatigue, Weight Gain and Sexual Dysfunction. Remarkably, nearly half of all sleep apnea suffers have one or more related health conditions1, and many are unable to control their symptoms until the sleep apnea is diagnosed and treated.
Richard Hassett, MD, CEO, NovaSom, said, "This new educational online resource provides sleep apnea sufferers and their loved ones with crucial information so they can take control of their health. Most undiagnosed sufferers don’t realize their snoring could be a sign of a serious, life-threatening condition, nor do they understand that left untreated sleep apnea can exacerbate other serious health conditions. In recent studies, sleep apnea has even been linked to increased cancer risk. We’ve created Apnea.com to help patients connect their untreated sleep apnea to a host of serious related conditions and realize how important it is to talk to a doctor about getting diagnosed.”
Apnea.com educates readers about how sleep apnea affects patients’ overall health and provides information on available diagnosis methods, including NovaSom home sleep testing. Visitors are also able to share the site with a loved one or their primary care physician to begin a discussion about diagnosis. Links to sleep apnea news and leading industry resources help patients learn more and stay informed.
Michael Coppola, MD, President of the American Sleep Apnea Association and Chief Medical Officer & Vice President of Medical Affairs, NovaSom, said, “The advent of home sleep testing expands access to diagnosis beyond the walls of a traditional sleep center to help address this growing epidemic with fast and convenient home diagnosis and immediate initiation of sleep apnea treatment. Apnea.com is a new online resource to help physicians educate patients about the little known risks of living with undiagnosed sleep apnea and the health and quality of life benefits they could see from treatment.”
NovaSom’s home sleep testing technology offers a clinically appropriate alternative to in-facility testing for the majority of sleep apnea sufferers. It expands the capacity of sleep specialists, along with primary care physicians and other health professionals who suspect a patient may have sleep apnea, to address the growing undiagnosed population, while enabling patients to undergo testing in the comfort and convenience of home.
The NovaSom technology directly measures the data needed to diagnose sleep apnea and has been proven clinically equivalent to sleep center studies for the diagnosis of uncomplicated adult sleep apnea in two peer-reviewed publications. For healthcare professionals interested in learning more about the technology, visit www.NovaSom.com.
About OSA
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) affects 40 million Americans, of which 18 million have moderate to severe disease. Of these, a startling 85% of sufferers are undiagnosed and therefore untreated, generating significant medical expense for patients and the healthcare system. Nearly half of all OSA patients also suffer from one or more serious health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension or heart failure that is either aggravated or caused by OSA. Treating OSA reduces medical expenses, improves patient quality of life and lowers associated health risks.
About NovaSom, Inc.
NovaSom, Inc. is the market leader in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) home testing, with the first FDA-cleared system, NovaSom® Home Sleep Test, and the second generation AccuSom™ Home Sleep Test, the first and only FDA-cleared wireless HST. The NovaSom home sleep testing technology and MediTrack® portal have been shown to provide in-home, clinically equivalent diagnosis of OSA at a significantly reduced cost as compared to in-facility testing for uncomplicated, adult OSA. NovaSom’s home sleep tests are currently covered for more than 165 million U.S. lives, through partnerships with major health insurers.
NovaSom also offers comprehensive service programs that are utilized by payers, employers, primary care and sleep specialist physicians nationwide, that enable significant cost savings for OSA management. In an effort to combat the growing OSA epidemic, NovaSom also partners with sleep centers, enabling sleep specialists to offer clinically appropriate patients an alternative, convenient testing option, expanding access to diagnosis and treatment.
NovaSom is accredited by the Joint Commission as an Ambulatory Care Sleep Diagnostic & Telehealth Center and is approved by CMS as an Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility. For more information, visit www.NovaSom.com.
| __________________________________ |
|
1 Wolk et al 2003, Einhorn ADA 2005, Javaheri et al 1999, Smith et al 2002, Somers et al 2004, Sjostrom et al 2004. |