The Inventor of CPAP, Colin Sullivan is speaking on the emerging role of Dental Sleep Medicine in treating Sleep Apnea

I have just received the following post that Colin Sullivan the inventor of CPAP is speaking in Germany at the Dental Sleep Meeting on the Role of Dental Sleep Medicine.

I have heard an unconfirmed rumor that Colin Sullivan the inventor of CPAP actually wears an oral appliance. I have e-mailed him for confirmation but he has not yet replied.

""Dear All,
Next weekend there will be the 10th symposium on dental sleep medicine of our German Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine DGZS in Bremen, Northern Germany.
You find the program here www.dgzs.de/tagungen.

This year I have invited Prof. Colin Sullivan , the CPAP inventor, for the key note lecture to speak to our DGZS dental sleep professionals.

He gave a great lecture at the Asian Sleep conference last year in Osaka and talked about the emerging role of dental sleep medicine.

I have recommended to the AADSM board to invite Prof. Sullivan for the key note lecture in Minneapolis 2011 J

Best regards

Susanne Schwarting""

HYPERTENSION, SLEEP APNEA AND CPAP COMPLIANCE. ORAL APPLIANCES ARE A CPAP ALTERNATIVE.

AN ARTICLE IN CHEST JOURNAL LOOKS AT SLEEP AND HYPERTENSION. According to the August 2010 article in Chest "even small increases in BP, particularly nighttime BP levels, are associated with significant increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.". This increase in in Blood pressure "sleep deprivation and insomnia have been linked to increases in incidence and prevalence of hypertension.is related to many types of sleep disorders including restless legs "sleep disruption attributable to restless legs syndrome increases the likelihood of having hypertension".

Patients with sleep apneathe article states "observational studies demonstrate a strong correlation between the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the risk and severity of hypertension, whereas prospective studies of patients with OSA demonstrate a positive relationship between OSA and risk of incident hypertension. Intervention trials with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) indicate a modest, but inconsistent effect on BP in patients with severe OSA and a greater likelihood of benefit in patients with most CPAP adherence."

The problem is that CPAP compliance is poor or non-existent for the majority of patients. Due to the severe problems that can result from untreated sleep apnea more and more concerned and compassionate cardiologists and internists are turning to Oral Appliances and Dental Sleep Medicine as the Best Sleep Apnea Treatment for their patients that do not tolerate CPAP.

There is no question that CPAP therapy is very effective when it is used. There is also no longer a belief that most patients will tolerate CPAP. Because non adherence and non-compliance is the rule not the exception in sleep apnea treatment the question about "What is the Best Sleep Apnea Treatment?" is still open.

Chest. 2010 Aug;138(2):434-43.
Sleep and hypertension.
Calhoun DA, Harding SM.

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-1150, USA. dcalhoun@uab.edu
Abstract
Ambulatory BP studies indicate that even small increases in BP, particularly nighttime BP levels, are associated with significant increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, sleep-related diseases that induce increases in BP would be anticipated to substantially affect cardiovascular risk. Both sleep deprivation and insomnia have been linked to increases in incidence and prevalence of hypertension. Likewise, sleep disruption attributable to restless legs syndrome increases the likelihood of having hypertension. Observational studies demonstrate a strong correlation between the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the risk and severity of hypertension, whereas prospective studies of patients with OSA demonstrate a positive relationship between OSA and risk of incident hypertension. Intervention trials with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) indicate a modest, but inconsistent effect on BP in patients with severe OSA and a greater likelihood of benefit in patients with most CPAP adherence. Additional prospective studies are needed to reconcile observational studies suggesting that OSA is a strong risk factor for hypertension with the modest antihypertensive effects of CPAP observed in intervention studies.

PMID: 20682533 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]PMCID: PMC2913764 [Available on 2011/8/1

Secret Weight Loss Hormone Now Available for Free. Leptin Can Be Your Answer! Lose Weight /Cure Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea and weight(BMI)have long been linked. Leptin and ghrelin are two hormones that are intimately linked to sleep and weight loss or weight gain. Leptin is the hormone that helps suppress your appetite and increase your metabolism. Increases in Leptin will make it easier to lose wieght because the cravings and nervous eating are decreased by this powerful appetite suppressant. It is not available at pharmacies and not covered by insurance but you can start to receive free doses immediately.

People who sleep less hours produce less leptin and tend to have lower blood levels of leptin. Low levels of this important hormone that helps suppress your appetite and increase your metabolism causes weight gain. Poor sleep,as seen with untreated sleep apnea will aslo decrease leptin production. Sleep loss also tends to increase your level of the hormone ghrelin. Grehlin stimulates your appetite which makes trying to diet a difficult ordeal. As a result of these two hormones people who sleep less may crave more and eat more. They especially may crave and eat more foods that are unhealthy. Patients in studies with sleep restriction have been shown to crave sweets, starch and salty snacks as a result of that sleep restriction.

TO RECEIVE YOUR FREE LEPTIN: SEVEN AND ONE HALF HOURS OF GOOD SLEEP IS THE ANSWER. iF YOU HAVE SLEEP APNEA MAKE SURE IT IS TREATED ALL NIGHT/ EVERY NIGHT.

Dieters have stuggled for years with every conceivable type of diet to produce weight loss. Sleeping better may be the easy answer to solving your weight issues.

There are several cycles in sleep and control of thyroid hormone and insulin hormone as well as cortisol the stress hormone are also affected by poor sleep. Disrupted sleep seen with sleep apnea can exacerbate all of these issues. With better sleep we are more active during the day which also increases our metabolism. With sleep apnea our oxygen levels are lower and our physiology slows down. The first period of Delta Sleep is where our body produces the majority of Growth Hormone. If that is disrupted by sleep apnea we are more likely to build up fat in our bodies at the expense of lean muscles according to a Universit of Chicago study.

The "Sleep Diet" may be the answer you have been looking for and a part of solving our national health crisis. Obesity in the U.S. is rising at an alarming pace among all age groups and all races and both sexes. The majority of Americans are overweight or obese with estimates of 60-75% of the population falling in these categories. The weight alone increases risks of high blood pressure,cancer and cardiovacular diseases including atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke.

Research has shown many intriguing links between sleep quality, sleep quantity and BMI. Sleeping fewer hours tends increse the BMI to higher levels than people who sleep longer. Numerous studies have linked sleep to some of the hormones that help control body weight and appetite. There is no question about the link of sleep to insulin resistance and sugar metabolism. Obstructive sleep apnea probably repesents the single biggest risk of obesity because apnea is resposible fer massive in several health risks. Even mild sleep apnea and/or snoring related arousals can disrupt sleep patterns sufficienty to destroy normal sleep patterns and hormonal controls.

While good sleep may not be a total answer for obesity there is no doubt that improving the quality and quantity of healthy sleep will make weight loss easier both emotionally and physically on patients.

Dr Shapira's Dental Sleep Medicine Course

I will be teaching my next course in Dental Sleep Medicine in April 2010. As always the course will be limited to 6 doctors and their teams. My course is limited to this small number to insure that each dentist walks and all team members are prepared to offer the finest in Dental Sleep Medicine to their patients. All doctors have a full year of follow-up consultation and mentoring as they improve their diagnostic and treatment skill.

The course includes two sleep appliances for the dentist taking the course and chairside experience in fitting appliances and taking bites. In addition numerous tricks and pearls as for treating pain and TMj disorders are taught including use of trigger point injections and sphenopalatine ganglion blocks.

If your dentist is not currently treating sleep apnea this is an excellent course for doctors serious about wanting to practice dental sleep medicine. It is not a large lecture format where the doctor is not ready to treat patients after the course.

I HATE CPAP is an important public service for patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea

I recently rceived this email from a patient.

comments : Your site is an important public service for those of us diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. Like most doctors, mine told me the only treatment worth considering for my mild OSA was CPAP. She scoffed at the mention of oral appliances, dismissing them as suited only to a special category of patients with TMJ symptoms. I mistrusted her absolutist statement,. Although I've been using the CPAP since she prescribed it, I have also been researching other professionally accepted treatments for OSA. Thanks to your website and many peer-reviewed journal articles, I've come to the conclusion that s I've I've learned there are a number of alternative treatments worth considering. Having been forced to uncover this information on my own has made me disillusioned with my pulmonologist-sleep specialist. I am in the process of finding a sleep center with a broader, more cutting-edge, and more personal approach to treating OSA. One factor I would like them to consider -- a
nd would appreciate your addressing -- is that I have esophageal problems secondary to systemic sclerosis. Also secondary to the SSc is mild pulmonary hypertension. Does the pre-existing condition of systemic sclerosis that includes these symptoms suggest any particular approach to the treatment of OSA? Thank you for all of your good work.
ESA

It is not uncommon for patients to wall into walls of ignorance or self interest. No sleep specialist should be unaware of the enormous successes with oral appliances. It is because oral appliances are so successful that they are considerd a first line treatment for mild to moderate sleep apnea by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Many sleep physicians and sleep centers have economic interests in DME companies that supply CPAP machines to patients. Sometimes these companies are owne by family members to evade federal Stark laws on self referral. Othertimes it is merely ignorance that causes doctors to make statements like this writer reports. When CPAP fails the majority of patients there must be alternatives presented to patients. CPAP is still an excellent and successful treatment but not for most patients. Oral appliances are also not for all patients. There must be honesty in the field of sleep medicine.

Dear Dr. Shapira,
Thank you for your thoughtful and encouraging reply to my questions.

I did a little bit of research about sleep centers in Houston, and you are right. Even though the lab I started with was little more than an extension of the hospital's pulmanology department, there are others out there that take a more modern approach to sleep medicine. Baylor, for one, seems to have a decent lab that emphasizes interdisciplinary treatment. I'll keep looking, but they're on the short list.

Thanks again for your excellent public education work on the internet. BTW, when I tell my various doctors about the eye-opening information you've posted on oral appliances, they inevitably ask the name of the site. It gets a laugh every time.
Regards,
Elizabeth S.

Treating Diabetes with better sleep and treatment of sleep apnea

Researchers at the University of Chicago led by Dr. Renee Aronsohn say that they have shown a "clear, graded, inverse relationship between obstructive sleep apnea" Sleep apnea is characterized by repetitive episodes of interrupted breathing during sleep. This disorder when properly treated can control Glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes.

"Relative to patients without the sleep disorder, the presence of mild, moderate or severe obstructive sleep disorder significantly increased mean adjusted HbA1c values -- a measure of glucose control not affected by short-term fluctuations due to meals -- by 1.49 percent, 1.93 percent and 3.69 percent, respectively."

The study was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The study showed that 77% of the sleep apnea patients had obstructive sleep apnea. Only 5 patients had previously been evaluated for diabetes and none had previous treatment. According to Dr Aronsohn's statment "Our findings have important clinical implications as they support the hypothesis that reducing the severity of obstructive sleep apnea may improve glycemic control," ;and "Thus effective treatment of obstructive sleep apnea may represent a novel and non-pharmacologic intervention in the management of type 2 diabetes."

This is an exciting study and once again shows how important oral appliances are for patients with sleep apnea. Because the majority of patients do not tolerate CPAP treatment it is essential that all patients are offered oral appliances as an alternative to CPAP.