Houston, TX (PRWEB) January 16, 2014
Apnix Sleep Diagnostics has recently announced new methods for testing for sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.
According to the National Sleep Foundation nearly 70 million Americans suffer from some sort of sleep disorder. What's more, at least a quarter of all men suffer from sleep apnea. It's an unfortunate fact that many of those with sleep apnea often go undiagnosed and the consequences can range in severity from annoying to life threatening. Fatigue during the day, depression, and even learning and memory difficulties are associated with sleep apnea. Apnix Sleep Diagnostics, based in the Houston Sleep Center, will partner with the FAA to perform these pilot sleep tests.
In 2008 the two men piloting a Go Airlines flight between Honolulu and Hilo airports fell asleep and overshot their runway, causing untold damage. It was subsequently determined that the captain was obese and had sleep apnea. There is a strong medical correlation between obesity and apnea, so the FAA is taking pilot size into consideration for testing. FAA flight surgeon Fred Tilton indicated that under the new policy, all pilots and air traffic controllers with a body mass index (BMI) over 40 or a neck measurement of more than 17 inches will have to be cleared by a sleep specialist before they can get their medical certificate to work. After a string of incidents involving fatigued pilots, the FAA is introducing a new policy of testing for sleep disorders, and
Unlike typical purveyors of CPAP equipment, Apnix Sleep Diagnostics provides a holistic approach to patient care. Average patient compliance with PAP therapy hovers around 50% or less. Apnix provides an integrated approach with systematic clinical follow-up, which has a proven track record of more than 88% patient compliance for almost 20,000 patients over 11 years of operation. The company claims that their commitment to personalized care is what drives their success. Both the FAA and Apnix are confident this partnership will lead to increased safety for pilots and their passengers.
About
Founded in 2000, Apnix is an American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) accredited sleep center specializing in sleep testing, CPAP and BiPAP titration, and maintenance of wakefulness testing (MSLT). Apnix Sleep Diagnostics' mission is to provide patients with unmatched care and diligence in the expert diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. The company has vast expertise in assessing and diagnosing sleep disorders and has served more than 20,000 patients to date. Apnix is headquartered in Houston with centers in Bellaire, Sugarland, and Willowbrook, Texas. Apnix can be contacted at (713) 343-5378.