Sleep apnea robs half a million Australians of slumber Most sufferers unaware of their condition, says Frost & Sullivan

Sydney, September 17, 2005 – Around half a million Australians are missing out on a good night’s sleep because they suffer from sleep apnea, but most have no idea of their condition,” according to analysts Frost & Sullivan.

Sufferers stop breathing during sleep—for anywhere between a few seconds and a few minutes—because the muscles of their tongue and soft palate relax and obstruct the airway.

Oxygen deprivation triggers the brain to wake the sleeper up—sometimes hundreds of times a night. Arousal may be so slight the sleeper is not aware of it, but it is sufficient to disturb proper sleep.

Frost & Sullivan estimates that only 72,000 or about 15 per cent of nearly 500,000 sufferers in Australia have been diagnosed.

“Sleep apnea can create serious health problems if not treated—including an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Sufferers also risk the consequences of daytime drowsiness such as accidents and problems with work or relationships,” says Frost & Sullivan’s Asia-Pacific Vice President Manoj Kenkare.

“But there is a lack of awareness among general practitioners, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals, so often only the most severe cases are diagnosed.

“Despite that fact that an estimated four per cent of Australian men and two per cent of women suffer some degree of sleep apnea, many put their sleep disturbances down to other causes,” he says.

“However awareness among GPs has been growing gradually over the last few years—and it’s encouraging to see unions such as the Transport Workers’ Union of Australia and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union of NSW including the condition in awareness campaigns.

“Better education for health professionals and the public will lead to many more sufferers being referred to sleep laboratories—facilities where they stay overnight to be diagnosed.”

Mr Kenkare says a further hurdle to treatment is the nationwide shortage of sleep labs. Even at the present low levels of awareness about the condition, most of Australia’s 13 approved sleep labs have waiting lists of one to three months.

“The most common treatment prescribed is a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device—a breathing aid worn during sleep. A face mask is connected to a pump that forces air into the nasal passages to overcome obstructions and stimulate normal breathing,” he says.

“While the device is cumbersome, it’s the only effective treatment that is not invasive. Other options such as surgery or mandibular splints to keep the airway open can involve even more discomfort and are not proven to be clinically effective in some cases.”

Mr Kenkare says only some Australian private health insurers offer reimbursement for therapeutic devices such as CPAPs—at less than half the cost.

He says there is currently no government funding for CPAP treatment through Medicare or public hospitals, however Medicare does provide some reimbursement for sleep lab diagnosis costs, and has recently extended this to cover at-home diagnosis by an expert technician.

“This move should take the pressure off busy sleep labs, while the number of lab beds will grow as greater public awareness drives demand, making diagnosis more available and affordable for sufferers,” Mr Kenkare says.

“Meanwhile, treatment will become more comfortable and effective with the expected development of better CPAP face masks, and the increasing use of more sophisticated pumps that adjust air pressure automatically as breathing patterns change.”

In its new Strategic Analysis of the Australian Therapeutic Sleep Apnea Market, Frost & Sullivan estimates the total market for sleep apnea devices is now worth $A24 million, but predicts the market will expand rapidly in coming years as diagnosis rates increase.

About Frost & Sullivan
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