F&P ICON™ and OSA [Treating Sleep Apnea in Style]

7700 auto side rgb LR
7700 auto side rgb LR

What is OSA?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a common yet serious condition present in approximately 9% of middle aged men and 4% of women.1 OSA causes interruptions to breathing, during sleep.2 The condition causes breathing to stop (apnea) or be reduced (hypopnea).3

The result of this interrupted breathing pattern is severely disrupted sleep, as the individual must wake up enough to regain muscle control in the throat and reopen the airway.

Surprisingly, despite dozens or even hundreds of awakenings per night, most individuals with OSA have no recollection of these events; as a result the majority remain undiagnosed.3

OSA can lead to heavy snoring, choking and gasping, excessive daytime sleepiness, and serious health complications such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease and stroke.

In New Zealand it is conservatively estimated that 4.4% of Māori men, 4.1% of non-Māori men, 2.0% of Māori women, and 0.7% of non-Māori women suffer from OSA.4

If you are concerned that you, a friend or a family member may have OSA, please speak to your GP for a referral to a Sleep Specialist.  You may be given an overnight sleep study (at a sleep lab or in your home) to determine whether you have the condition. If you are diagnosed with OSA, you will be given a range of treatment options, of which the gold standard is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).  
 

About the F&P ICON™

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s F&P ICON™ is the company’s latest and most advanced CPAP machine for people with OSA.

Three years in the making, the F&P ICON™ was designed following in-depth patient feedback, resulting in the creation of the sleep product that patients have asked for. ThermoSmart™ is one of the key technologies included with the F&P ICON™ and it has been shown to provide a more comfortable CPAP experience5  and improve not only the quality of sleep, but also increases total sleep time.6

The F&P ICON™ brings together the full range of Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s sleep technologies into one stylish, compact and clever device. Another of these key technologies is called SensAwake™. SensAwake™ is designed to sense when you are awake and reduce pressure levels to help guide you back to sleep*. The InfoUSB™ is also a clever mechanism to record your sleep patterns, allowing your doctor to retrieve this information and effectively monitor your progress.

Stylish, compact and designed in neutral colours, the F&P ICON™ discreetly blends into the bedroom environment. It comes with a carry-case so it can easily accompany you on all your travels, and it also comes with full digital clock, alarm and music playing capabilities, freeing up space on your night-stand.

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare has a range of masks designed for comfort and an advanced seal, while still being easy-to-use.  (Refer to images above)

 
References

1.  Al Lawati, N.M., S.R. Patel, and N.T. Ayas, Epidemiology, risk factors, and consequences of obstructive sleep apnea and short sleep duration. Prog Cardiovasc Dis, 2009. 51(4): p. 285-93.

2.  Harvard Medical School. An Overview of Sleep Disorders.  2007  [cited 25 November 2009]; Available from:  http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/treatment/an-overview-of-sleep-disorders

3.  Sullivan T & Hiller J. Home studies for the diagnosis of sleep disorders.  National Horizon Scanning Unit: Horizon scanning prioritising summary: Commonwealth of Australia; 2007.

4.  Mihaere, K.M., et al., Obstructive sleep apnea in New Zealand adults: prevalence and risk factors among Maori and non-Maori. Sleep, 2009. 32(7): p. 949-56.

5.  Almasri E & Kline L. The addition of heated wall tubing provides more humidity and comfort than standard heated humidifier CPAP units. Sleep 2007; 30: A190.

6.  Nilius G et al. Impact of a controlled heated breathing tube humidifier on sleep quality during CPAP therapy in a cool sleeping environment. Eur Respir J 2008; 31(4): 830-6.

*SensAwake is not available in all F&P ICON™ models .
Note: A CPAP is a prescription only device.