Murrysville, PA., USA — Royal Philips Electronics today announced the introduction of the FitLife total face mask for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The mask, which covers the face from above the eyebrows to below the lower lip, is a solution for patients who have difficulty wearing conventional masks or who simply prefer a clear line of sight. The mask is being launched first in the U.S. and will be available globally in the third quarter of 2009.
Nasal bridge breakdown, facial irregularities, facial hair, dentures, and claustrophobia are patient challenges that impact the ability to establish effective therapy and comfort for patients.
By placing a robust seal around the less-pressure sensitive outer perimeter of the face, FitLife addresses these issues. The mask’s unique geometry does not irritate the eyes and keeps air flow in the mouth and nose area, while enabling patients to maintain an unrestricted view. An over-molded cushion integrated into the mask frame improves patient comfort and reduces the number of parts. EZPeel tabs and snap clips simplify adjustment, removal, and re-application of the mask.
“With its revolutionary design, FitLife helps clinicians with their hard-to-fit patients,” said Laurie Scott, U.S. marketing manager for patient interface, Philips Home Healthcare Solutions. “As a ‘total solutions mask,’ FitLife is easy to size, adjust, and seal, making it an effective solution for virtually any patient. In fact, our similar product, PerforMax, has been successful and well-received in critical care settings.”
Reimbursable as a full-face mask, the FitLife total face mask is available in two sizes, small and large, with the large size fitting most patients. The mask is compatible with all therapy devices intended for the treatment of OSA from Respironics.
A common sleep disorder, OSA is a condition characterized by the repeated cessation of breathing during sleep. It is caused by the blockage of the upper airway due to such factors as a large tongue, extra tissue, or decreased muscle tone to hold the airway open. Each breathing stop can last from a few seconds to minutes and may occur five to 30 times or more each hour. OSA puts a strain on the heart and, if left untreated, can increase the risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, and diabetes. It also can increase the chance of having work-related or driving accidents.
Symptoms include loud, disruptive snoring; gasping or choking during sleep; excessive daytime sleepiness; morning headaches; memory or learning problems; irritability; lack of concentration; mood swings, personality changes, or depression; dry throat when waking up; and frequent urination at night.
Signs of not getting enough sleep or sleeping poorly include consistently taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, awakening more than a few times or for long periods each night, feeling sleepy during the day, or having trouble concentrating at school or at work.
Keeping a daily sleep log, or diary, can help you track your sleep habits and identify what might be interfering with sleep. You may download a sleep diary. To download files from this site, you need to be registered as a site member to gain access. Once registered, simply login, and then download the files you’re interest in.
Links of interest
Have you had bouts of insomnia lasting two weeks or more? Do you walk around in a constant fog, feeling sleepy, fatigued, and as though you have no energy? Perhaps you “feel” older than you are, or maybe it’s all you can do to stay awake while driving. If any of that, or similar issues are familiar, or if you snore or have disrupted sleep, even if just a few simple, repeat trips to the bathroom during the night, check out these two online tests to help you get to the root of the issue. While they will not make a diagnosis for you, they will help you, your physician, or, more appropriately, a sleep specialist, find out what’s causing you the problem sleepiness.
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