AHN Saint Vincent to Present Free Seminar on New Implant for Patients with Sleep Apnea

AHN Saint Vincent Hospital will present a free community presentation on Inspire therapy, a breakthrough obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment option for those who cannot use Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy.

The program will be held in the Admiral Room at the Erie Public Library on November 19, at 6:30 p.m.

OSA affects 22 million Americans. When left untreated, OSA can cause vehicle and workplace accidents, mood and memory issues, stroke, heart attack, and even death. It occurs when the airway collapses during sleep and blocks the flow of oxygen to the brain. The brain senses a lack of oxygen and wakes the body up just long enough to take a breath, then falls back asleep. This cycle repeats throughout the night and causes poor, disruptive sleep.

Inspire therapy is the only FDA-approved OSA therapy that works comfortably inside the body. The small Inspire^® implant delivers gentle pulses to your airway muscles to keep your airway open so you can breathe regularly and sleep soundly. Mild stimulation opens the airway during sleep, allowing oxygen to flow naturally. The patient uses a small handheld remote to turn Inspire on before bed and off when they wake up.

AHN pulmonologist, Jeffrey McGovern, MD, will present the free program, which is open to the public. A patient, who has experienced success with he Inspire device, will speak at the event as well.

The safety and efficacy of Inspire was evaluated during the STAR clinical trial. Five-year STAR trial outcomes show patients using Inspire experience significant reductions in sleep apnea events and significant improvements in quality-of-life measures. There have been over 150 peer-reviewed publications on Inspire. These publications show results consistent with those seen in the STAR trial.

"In our practice, we see many patients who have stopped using or are unable to tolerate CPAP," said Dr. McGovern. "Inspire represents a significant advancement in treating sleep apnea. It is clinically proven to reduce sleep apnea events, has a high level of patient satisfaction and a high therapy adherence. We are excited to offer this promising therapy to sleep apnea patients who struggle with CPAP."

Space at the free seminar is limited. To register, call 724-216-3461. To learn more about Inspire, please visit InspireSleep.com.

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