ISRAELI SLEEP APNEA DETECTOR MEAUSERES CARDIOVASCULAR STRESS AND ALERTS PERSONAL

     Times of Israel reports that millions of people around the world – those who suffer from advanced forms of sleep apnea- are likely candidates to suffer a heart attack or stroke in the night.

     Apnea patients suffer from conditions raging from short, shallow breathing to gasping and wheezing during sleep, to going for long seconds or even minutes without drawing a breath. The most common form of the disease is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), in which usually middle-aged and older (most often men), but including overweight or out–of shape younger people-develop a narrower breathing tube that restricts the flow of air into the body.

     As less oxygen gets into the bloodstream, the body works harder to pump in more blood so all organs and systems get the oxygen they need, which increase risk for a cardiovascular incident.

   Itamar Medical invented Watch-PAT, which uses a novel technology to measure cardiovascular stress in patients who suffer from apnea episodes, and alerts medical or rescue personnel in time to save them.

     Itmar Medical CEO Gilad Glick says of his company’s solution: “We use a special technology called Peripheral Arterial Tone –PAT--to determine how well or poorly an individual is breathing, by measuring the ability of the arteries to expand after occlusion, and checking arterial function and the speed and health of blood flow”

     A PAT monitor called Watch-PAT keeps track of the flow. When it reaches a pre- programmed level, an alarm goes off, and an attending nurse or doctor can intervene to help the patient overcome the incident.

     The test only requires a simple, light completely non-invasive device. Glick says, “The WatchPAT currently on the market is made up of two parts--a finger probe that measures the blood flow, and a computer and recorder worn on the wrist, like a watch.” The new, improved WatchPAT will consist of a single unit, making it even easier.