SAN DIEGO – ResMed Inc revenue for the quarter ended Sept 30, 2014, was $380.4 million, a 6% increase compared to the same period last year. Net income was $83.3 million, an increase of 3% compared to last year. “We had a successful start to fiscal year 2015, as new product launches drove revenue growth,” said Mick Farrell, ResMed’s CEO (pictured). “Our results showed very strong performance from our European and Asia Pacific regions, as well as solid growth in the Americas.
“During the quarter, we launched innovative products for the sleep-disordered breathing market, including our new AirSense 10 platform, as well as a new life support ventilator for the U.S. respiratory care market, our new Astral platform,” added Farrell. “We have also recently made progress in building consumer awareness an education and product-focused campaign called ‘Better Sleep for Women’; and the launch of ‘S+ by ResMed’, the first non-contact sleep wellness tracking device for individuals.”
OSA Linked to Poor Aerobic Fitness
SAN DIEGO – People with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea may have an intrinsic inability to burn high amounts of oxygen during strenuous aerobic exercise, according to a new study led by researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. The study, reported in the current issue of Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, shows that people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have a lower peak oxygen uptake during aerobic activity than those who do not suffer from the sleep disorder.
“Encouraging patients to exercise more is part of the story, but that is not the whole story,” said lead author Jeremy Beitler, MD, assistant clinical professor in pulmonary and critical care medicine. “We believe the sleep apnea itself causes structural changes in muscle that contributes to their difficulty exercising.”
Sleep Apnea Treatment Could Help Depression
At a time of year when depression typically spikes, good sleep may be better than ever. As summarized in Science World Report by Katherine Lees, researchers studied data from 22 randomized controlled trials that were linked to treatment for OSA with CPAP or mandibular advancement devices (MADs) to reductions in depressive symptoms.
“Researchers discovered that treating the sleep disorders carried great benefits in studies where there were higher rates of baseline depression,” writes Lee. “Furthermore, researchers noted that the latest findings revealed only modest improvements in depressive symptoms, showing a lack of evidence that CPAP and MAD are more or just as effective as antidepressant medications.”
Chronic Insomnia Hastens Death?
TUCSON, AZ – A four-decade study showed that chronic insomnia may hasten death. Insomnia—defined by University of Arizona researchers as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early—is a common medical complaint that affects about 20% of adults in the United States.
According to a summary in Futurity.org, the recent mortality data was collected via the Tucson Epidemiological Study of Airway Obstructive Disease, which began in 1972 and has followed participants for decades. The data show that chronic insomnia is associated with higher levels of inflammation in the blood and a 58% increase in risk of death.
Post-Op Cardiovascular Complications Reduced with Proper CPAP Intervention
A study from the Department of Anesthesia, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, recently concluded that the diagnosis of OSA, and prescription of CPAP therapy, were associated with a reduction in postoperative cardiovascular complications. Despite limitations in the data, researchers believe that the results could be used “to justify and inform large efficacy trials of perioperative continuous positive airway pressure therapy in OSA patients.”