What is sleep apnea?

Millions of Americans suffer from some form of apnea and do not even know it. Others are quite aware that something is wrong. But how do you determine if you have this sleep disorder or not? And if you do have it, are there any natural treatments for available?

Sleep apnea is a condition that you may not even know that you have. If you sleep alone, or are married to someone who is a deep sleeper, the most obvious symptom (snoring) may go on unnoticed. Even if you, or someone else, is aware that you snore, this does not mean that you have this condition.

Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Typically this condition occurs as a result of the tissues of the soft palate, tonsils, throat and tongue relaxing during the night. As these tissues relax, the air passages become obstructed, which tends to limit the amount of oxygen that gets into the blood stream. As the muscles in the throat relax the patient may begin to snore loudly. It is important to note once again that you can have obstructive sleep apnea and not snore.

As the oxygen in your bloodstream is depleted, your brain begins to take action. Often this results in your brain shocking your lungs into expelling air rapidly in order to clear the obstruction. With many obstructive sleep apnea patients, this can occur hundreds of times each night.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

As with any sleep disorder, numerous symptoms are prevalent in almost all cases. Here is a quick list of the major symptoms:

• Excess Daytime Sleepiness
• Loud Snoring
• The Sensation of Chocking While Sleeping
• Waking Up With Headaches
• Waking Up Feeling Completely Unrefreshed

If you experience these symptoms, please consult with your doctor. There are numerous treatments available that have proven to be highly effective and can improve the quality of your life tremendously. Getting a full night’s rest is something that can be achieved once you know how to properly manage this condition.

There are alternatives for patients who cannot stand CPAP - Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. These alternatives to CPAP are known as dental devices or sleep apnea oral appliances. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends these dental devices to patients who suffer from mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Several oral devices are available and should be fitted only with the consultation and help of a dentist who is trained to manage Sleep Breathing Disorders like snoring.

Sleep apnea oral devices may include Mandibular Advancement Device - MAD. It is a widely used dental device to treat snoring. It is similar to a sports mouth guard. It pushes the lower jaw forward, which helps to keep the airway open). Another oral device is the Tongue Retaining Device - TRD that keeps the tongue in a forward position keeping the airway open.

The benefits of oral devices are multifarious - there is a significant reduction of apneas for those who suffer from a mild to moderate case. This is particularly true if the snorer sleeps either on his back or stomach. These sleep apnea oral devices improve airflow for patients who suffer with severe sleep apnea. There is also an improvement in sleep, as well as reduction in the frequency and loudness of snoring.

There are many advantages of using oral devices. They are more tolerable and comfortable than CPAP. Sleep apnea dental appliances are arguably the best treatment option available for patients who suffer from mild to moderate sleep apnea. This snoring treatment option is non-invasive and no surgeries are involved. They are very easy to travel with and can fit in your pocket. Unlike the dental appliances, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have special security measures that are necessary for individuals who are traveling with equipment such as CPAP.

Proper cleaning and brushing is a must in caring for oral devices. This act not only extends the lifespan of the device, but it also maintains proper hygiene. Your dentist must instruct you on how to handle and clean your oral device. Different appliances have different instructions, but brushing them with soap and a soft toothbrush is a standard cleaning procedure. Cleansing solution-Oral Safe can also be used in cleaning these devices. This keeps the appliances as clean as possible. It is very important to consult your dentist before using any of these cleaning methods.

Cephalon, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEPH) today announced that NUVIGIL® (armodafinil) Tablets [C-IV], a longer-lasting formulation of modafinil, is now available. NUVIGIL is indicated to improve wakefulness throughout the day for the millions of patients who struggle with excessive sleepiness associated with treated obstructive sleep apnea, shift work sleep disorder, also known as shift work disorder, and narcolepsy. Cephalon has finalized the commercialization plans for NUVIGIL and, beginning today, any patient with a NUVIGIL prescription should be able to obtain the medication from their pharmacy or have it filled within 24 hours.

“We are proud to be able to bring NUVIGIL to physicians and patients and to increase access to the medication through our patient support programs. Physicians have told us that they want and need a longer-lasting medication for their patients, and NUVIGIL delivers on that need,” said Frank Baldino, Jr., Ph.D., Chairman and CEO, Cephalon.

For a multimedia version of this press release with video and downloadable images, please go to:http://mnr.onthescene.com/cephalon/NUVIGIL.html.

Expanded Access Programs

As part of the launch of NUVIGIL, Cephalon is introducing several new programs designed to expand access for both patients and healthcare providers. To assist insured patients with co-pay costs for NUVIGIL, Cephalon will offer the NUVIGIL Prescription Savings Program. Through this program, eligible patients will receive a co-pay savings at the pharmacy to reduce their out-of-pocket costs to fill the prescription. To help patients and healthcare providers navigate the authorization and reimbursement process, Cephalon established the NUVIGIL Reimbursement Hotline. The company is also working with managed care organizations in order to provide greater patient access for NUVIGIL through health plans nationwide.

In addition, this year Cephalon created the CephalonCaresSM Foundation. CEO Frank Baldino, Jr., said, “We recognize that uninsured patients often cannot afford the costs of medications, especially in these economic times. Therefore, we created the CephalonCares Foundation to provide free medication to eligible patients so that they can access our products when they are in need.” More information on the CephalonCares Foundation, eligibility guidelines and the products included in the program can be found at http://www.cephaloncares.com.

Clinical Development Plans

Cephalon is also exploring the potential for NUVIGIL to treat the symptoms associated with an array of medical disorders. The company recently announced results from a phase three clinical trial of NUVIGIL as a treatment for patients with excessive sleepiness associated with jet lag disorder. Those data are expected to be submitted as part of a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) later this year.

In addition, the company has an extensive clinical development program in place to further study the efficacy and safety of NUVIGIL in bipolar depression, the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, cancer treatment-related fatigue and excessive sleepiness associated with traumatic brain injury.

“We are encouraged by what we’ve seen to date from the clinical development program for NUVIGIL. We believe that our continued research into NUVIGIL will enable us to define the full range of benefits that this medication will be able to provide for patients with a variety of medical conditions,” added Dr. Lesley Russell, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Cephalon.

About NUVIGIL

NUVIGIL is indicated to improve wakefulness in patients with excessive sleepiness associated with treated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), shift work sleep disorder, also known as shift work disorder (SWD) and narcolepsy. The NUVIGIL label includes a bolded warning for serious or life-threatening rash, including Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, that has been reported in adults and children taking modafinil, a racemic mixture of S and R modafinil (the latter is armodafinil, the active ingredient in NUVIGIL). NUVIGIL is not approved for use in pediatric patients for any indication.

The most common adverse events in controlled clinical trials (greater than 5 percent) were headache, nausea, dizziness, and insomnia. Full prescribing information for NUVIGIL is available at http://www.NUVIGIL.com.

Source
Cephalon, Inc.

View drug information on Nuvigil.