Summer Opportunities: Encouraging Home Sleep Apnea Screening

Summer vacations offer a unique window of opportunity for addressing patients' sleep health, particularly concerning sleep disorders such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). It's in this context that home screening tests like Brizzy can play an essential role.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A common and often undiagnosed disorder

OSA is a sleep disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of complete (apnea) or partial (hypopnea) upper airway obstruction during sleep, leading to micro-awakenings driven by increased respiratory effort (RERA), or even isolated increased respiratory effort.

These episodes have significant physiological implications due to sleep fragmentation, substantial drops in blood oxygenation, and the hemodynamic impact of increased respiratory effort. Collectively, these factors contribute to cardiovascular, metabolic, psychiatric, or even immunological complications. Furthermore, these conditions can lead to a deterioration in the patient's quality of life, loss of productivity, and increased risk of accidents.

The Role of Vacations in Screening and Diagnosing OSA

• Change in routine: During vacation periods, patients' sleep routines often change. Freed from the constraints of work or school, they are able to sleep following a more natural rhythm. This can unmask symptoms of sleep apnea that were previously hidden due to chronic sleep deprivation.
• Symptom detection: While on vacation, sleep partners (such as family, friends, or spouses) often spend more time together in more intimate settings, thereby facilitating the detection of sleep apnea symptoms like snoring or respiratory pauses.
• Increased risk of daytime sleepiness: On vacation, activities such as long-distance driving might be more frequent. Untreated sleep apnea increases the risk of daytime sleepiness, which can be particularly hazardous during these activities.
• Relaxation and sleep quality: Vacations are often associated with relaxation and rest, which can improve sleep quality. However, in individuals with undiagnosed sleep apnea, symptoms may persist despite a more relaxed environment. This may help distinguish sleep apnea from other stress-related sleep issues.

Brizzy: An Innovative OSA Screening Tool

Brizzy is a home sleep disordered breathing screening device that relies on JAWAC technology, which analyzes mandibular activity during sleep. Healthy sleep is typically characterized by a closed and motionless mouth. The device is user-friendly, allowing patients to use it independently at home. Brizzy includes a single sensor made of two electrodes - one reference electrode placed on the forehead and a measurement electrode placed on the chin.

Once the test is completed, the signal is automatically analyzed by the Nomics platform, and a report is generated within 5 minutes. The efficiency of the platform saves clinicians time, regardless of their level of experience with sleep disorders.

Transforming Vacations into a Time for Sleep Health Management

As healthcare professionals, you have the opportunity to encourage patients to be proactive in managing their sleep health. During vacation periods, patients may be prompted to use screening tests like Brizzy to monitor their sleep and identify potential signs of OSA.