At Home Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screener Now Available

johnnygoodman · Post by **johnnygoodman** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:30 am

Greetings CPAPtalkers,

There is now an easy and reliable way to screen for obstructive sleep apnea in the comfort of your own home. No visit to the doctors office or sleep lab is required.

The Sleep Strip device works by detecting breathing patterns as you sleep. It is worn like a Band Aid under your nose. Put it on right before bed. When you wake up, the test is complete.

If you, a friend or loved one who wants a fast and easy way to be screened for obstructive sleep apnea, please let them know about this service!

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/slp-sl ... study.html

Johnny

PS To answer questions asked in the previous thread:

1. This device works by detecting Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI), or breathing patterns. It does not monitor blood O2 levels. Should results merit, an APAP is prescribed as it will auto titrate.

2. This CPAP.com service represents a cost effective, easy and unobtrusive method of getting screened. Many put off getting tested because they are unable or unwilling to go in for a traditional study. We are reaching out to the estimated 8% of Americans who currently make the decision to not seek diagnosis or treatment. We believe that this is very dangerous choice and that our industry should respond with alternatives.

jskinner · Post by **jskinner** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:42 am

If your in Canada you can order these Sleep Strips from:

http://www.sleepstripcanada.ca/

I'm not sure how well they work but I have recommended them to a couple of friends and family who I suspect of having OSA.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:06 pm

Even if you're in Canada, can't you order Sleep Strips from cpap.com?

jskinner · Post by **jskinner** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:44 pm

Anonymous wrote:Even if you're in Canada, can't you order Sleep Strips from cpap.com?

Sure but then you have to deal with customs, brokerage fees, exchange, etc.

Ordering stuff directly from in Canada is almost always less hassle in my experience. YMMV

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:45 pm

Johnny,

Excellent idea & what a great way to offer sleep studies.

Good luck with this - it looks quite impressive.

DSM

SelfSeeker · Post by **SelfSeeker** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:17 pm

JS Skinner,

Other then this product, which I doubt a Rx from a US doctor would be valid in Canada (at least you will know to demand a sleep study), other supplies are easy to get.

I am not sure how the OHP works, in other provinces if you do not have private insurace, you need to foot the bill for your CPAP and supplies. Which is high.

Anyone living near the boarder, can go to a UPS center and pick up any machine (cpap.com does not air mail in the USA machines). Other things can be airmailed. Yes it will take time going through customs. You also do a general delivery for items other then machines to USA post offices (once you filled a General Delivery Form), and then you pick up.

There is no Duty, or GST or provincial tax for Medical supplies, make sure you have your prescription at the boarder. As soon as I find the info of the article number for medical supplies (breathing) I will post it. Even if the post office charges an admin fee and taxes, pay it at the post office and then get reembursed. Even with the difference in exchange many things are cheaper, especially machines.

jskinner wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Even if you're in Canada, can't you order Sleep Strips from cpap.com?
Sure but then you have to deal with customs, brokerage fees, exchange, etc.

Ordering stuff directly from in Canada is almost always less hassle in my experience. YMMV

CRMW · Post by **CRMW** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:31 pm

Johnny I have some questions:

Is the price difference of $49.95 Cad, from Sleepstripcanada.ca & $150.00 US, CPAP.COM due to the doctors consultation, interpretation, & Perscription that CPAP.COM provides.

If a Canadian was planning on purchasing the equipment from you anyways, I assume would you would accept the perscription for the equipment at CPAP.COM.

CRMW

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jskinner · Post by **jskinner** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 6:56 pm

SelfSeeker wrote:I am not sure how the OHP works, in other provinces if you do not have private insurace, you need to foot the bill for your CPAP and supplies.

In Ontario the provincial health care plan (OHIP) pays 75% of the cost of a CPAP ( Up to a maximum of $1040 CDN) through its Assistive Devices Program (ADP) The catch is that the CPAP must be purchased though at ADP registered DME.

Most private health care plans will pick up all or a portion of the remaining amount not paid for by the government.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:18 pm

dsm wrote:Johnny,

Excellent idea & what a great way to offer sleep studies.

Good luck with this - it looks quite impressive.

DSM

DSM, I'm sure you meant to type "screening" instead of "sleep study", as the Sleep Strip test is not a sleep study.

The previous thread Johnny mentioned can be viewed here:

viewtopic.php?t=14035
(two page thread)

I'd strongly suggest that people thinking about using or promoting the Sleep Strip go to this link:

http://apneasupport.org/viewtopic.php?t=673

Read the exchange of posts at that link between "sleepydave" (RRT, RPSGT, Manager of an accredited sleep lab) and "Noam" (engineer who headed the team developing the Sleep Strip)

An excerpt from sleepydave's post with some of his concerns about the Sleep Strip:

"The final score represents five possible test outcomes based on sleep apnea severity level:

0 - no apnea: comparable to a sleep lab AHI of less than 14

1 – Mild: comparable to a sleep lab AHI between 15 and 24

2 – Moderate: comparable to a sleep lab AHI between 25 and 39

3 – Severe: comparable to a sleep lab AHI of more than 40

E – Error in measurement"

Now where did these values come from. Even Medicare, with strict requirements, allow CPAP if your AHI is from 5 to 15 if you have symptoms. And everybody I know says AHI 5-15 is mild sleep apnea. And there's plenty of data that says even mild sleep apnea can cause all the same problems, including hypertension, that moderate to severe apnea can, so you should be treated.

------(snipped)------

So here's the most important point:

A score of 0 can and will be misinterpreted. It in no way can mean you have no apnea, it doesn't mean you don't have OSA and it absolutely cannot mean you don't have a problem. Because if you have been have been screened properly, at least enough to get a SS, then you have some signs and symptoms of a sleep-related breathing disorder (SBD). And after this test is done, you know what? You still do. And if a person unversed in the study of sleep is interpreting the results for you, that could very well be the end of the line in finding and treating your problems.

The medical support of this device is anecdotal at best, and only correlate AHI in the mild to moderate range. With a 5 year history of its use, though, it's actually quite sparse. Circumstantial arguement? Maybe.

But until a see a study that looks at people who had complaints of SBD, used the SS, were rated 0, no apnea and then had follow-up studies to determine what their problems and their severity were, I would not even recommend using it. Because I think that would really bring to light the dangers and limitations of this device, and consequently really educate potential users.

So what happened to the people with SS results? There's 4 possibilities:

You had a positive result and had a PSG and/or now on CPAP. OK, not bad. Who had a positive SS and got a PSG anyway? Did the SS really cost $40, or did you need 2 physician visits as well?

You had a positive result and did nothing about it. Nuff said.

You had a negative result, but continued to follow-up and solve your problem. Great.

You had a negative result and did nothing further. What made you get a SS in the first place? And knowing what you do now, are you still satisfied with the results?

My recommendation would be that a PSG is necessary in all of these situations. Data from SS ranges from inaccurate to erroneous. I believe many people are dangerously falling through the cracks when this device is used. The information from the SS only has a remote chance of being accurately interpreted unless it is in the hands of a qualified sleep specialist, and I just don't see it becoming a part of their repertoire. It just leaves too many questions unanswered.

Ms Piggy · Post by **Ms Piggy** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:19 pm

THE CODE FOR SHIPPING MEDICAL SUPPLIES INTO CANADA TAX FREE
IS G.S.T. 57 ( i AM NOT SURE IF THERE IS A TOP FIGURE OF $1000 THOUGH.)
ANY GST CHARGED IN ERROR CAN BE REFUNDED UPON APPLICATION.

dsm-guest · Post by **dsm-guest** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:35 pm

RG,

Once again thanks for the pointers.

I saw the data the strip gathered & the words mini sleep-study came to mind.
I agree that it is not the same as nor a substitute for a PSG. But, I am impressed at what the 'screener' sets out to do. I do marvel at how modern chip technology and a few sensors can do such previously challenging things.

Cheers

D

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:13 pm

I don't need to go to sleepapnea.org and read what it says there, I would not expect any RRT or RPSGT to say one word positive about this screening process afterall, they are trying to protect their livelyhood, their jobs.

I also wouldn't expect the brick and mortar DME's to highly endorse it either. People who will use it don't have insurance, don't have the money for a $3,000 PSG only to be told you need to come back again for another $3,000 titration then be sent to a DME that is going to rip them off close to $1700 for a $620 machine.

patients that would take advantage of the sleep strip would not be using their services anyway.

$150 bucks to screen you for OSA? I say go for it, what have you got to lose other than your health. Spend another $750 on a autotitrating machine and mask setup and your still under $1,000.

In the end there is no difference other than money spent.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:29 pm

Yes, I saw what kind of data the Sleep Strip gathers and what it may do with it:

"0 - no apnea: comparable to a sleep lab AHI of less than 14"

The words that jumped to my mind were "false negative" and "misleading false reassurance."

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:38 pm

Anonymous wrote:I don't need to go to sleepapnea.org and read what it says there, I would not expect any RRT or RPSGT to say one word positive about this screening process afterall, they are trying to protect their livelyhood, their jobs.

I also wouldn't expect the brick and mortar DME's to highly endorse it either. People who will use it don't have insurance, don't have the money for a $3,000 PSG only to be told you need to come back again for another $3,000 titration then be sent to a DME that is going to rip them off close to $1700 for a $620 machine.

patients that would take advantage of the sleep strip would not be using their services anyway.

$150 bucks to screen you for OSA? I say go for it, what have you got to lose other than your health. Spend another $750 on a autotitrating machine and mask setup and your still under $1,000.

In the end there is no difference other than money spent.

Huh. Wierd. The DME company I went through suggested I try one of these first. So there's one down. Oh, and they also don't charge $1,700.00 for a cpap. Nor does the company I'm using now after I moved. Huh. Wierd. Oh wait, maybe you were exaggerating!

However when even the manufacturer of the item says it's not a substitute for a full sleep study then maybe the statement that "there is no difference other than money spent" is a bit of an exaggeration too.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:48 pm

Guest wrote: In the end there is no difference other than money spent.

Do you think that's true for the person who sees "0" on their results when they're fighting an AHI of 13 every night? Think they are not likely to say, "Well, that rules out sleep apnea." Think they might not ever give sleep apnea another thought?

I absolutely agree that there needs to be a simple, inexpensive screening for possible OSA. But I see a real danger in making it so that a great many "mild" OSA sufferers are going to be steered away from ever thinking about "sleep apnea" again. Or even that some people who actually have moderate sleep apnea are going to hear "mild" and think, "Oh...mild...no big deal."