Drive DeVilbiss Focuses on Latin America for World Sleep Day

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (March 13, 2018) Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare will recognize World Sleep Day, March 16, to raise awareness of the need for quality sleep and the prevalence of undiagnosed sleep apnea in Latin America.

World Sleep Day, with the slogan “Join the Sleep World, Preserve Your Rhythms to Enjoy Life,” is focused on creating a conversation on the importance of circadian rhythms. These bodily rhythms can be affected by environmental factors and play a crucial role in reducing sleep, mental health and chronic health issues.

“The shortage of quality sleep has become a topic of discussion recently,” said Wally Haddick, vice president of sales, Latin America. “Poor quality sleep or sleep deprivation has been associated with many health issues, including poor memory and attention span, diabetes, obesity and a weakened immune system. It is a global health and economic issue.”

According to an article from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, a study was conducted to determine the most common sleep disorders found in four Latin American countries. At the end of the study, doctors found there was a high percentage of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea found in metropolitan areas of Mexico City, Uruguay, Chile and Venezuela. Out of 4,533 subjects studied, 60.2 percent reported snoring, 16.4 percent reported excessive daytime sleepiness, 12.3 percent reported observed apneas and 34.7 percent reported insomnia.

“Adopting a standardized approach to educate, diagnose and treat sleep‐related health disorders is an absolute requirement for properly managing sleep disruption complications,” said Ben Asuchak, CEO of Maple Respiratory Group (MRG), a global health care educator and sleep therapy services group. “Patients and their families need to take accountability for their health and take action for a healthier future. Education is the first step in this movement.”

The next step is to combat the increase of sleep‐related disorders and symptoms with sleep therapy. For those suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, a CPAP device is generally the most effective form of therapy. The DeVilbiss IntelliPAP and SleepCube CPAP systems are designed to provide varying levels of air pressure depending on the individual’s needs.

In addition, the DeVilbiss SmartLink app allows users to stay engaged with their therapy and IntelliPAP or SleepCube device. The app captures quantitative data from the unit and qualitative data of the patient’s experience on therapy and wirelessly transmits it to the provider. Users can enter SmartCode data, store information over longer periods and view daily, weekly, monthly and yearly reports.

Visit drivemedical.com and worldsleepday.org for more information