Method and apparatus useful in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea of a patient
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Abstract
Patients may operate a CPAP system to deliver appropriate airway pressure at their home. A patient'"'"'s apnea problem can be diagnosed at home without supervision with a CPAP device which delivers a continuously minimum appropriate pressure for substantially the entire period of therapy.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1-24. -24. (canceled)
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25. An apparatus useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea of a patient, said apparatus being configured for non-clinical use to monitor the breathing of a patient and comprising an apparatus for monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said monitoring apparatus being in communication with a nasal mask and the monitoring providing a signal indicative of the respiratory parameter being monitored;
- and means to process said signal indicative of said respiratory parameter.
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26. An apparatus useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea of a patient, said apparatus being configured for non-clinical use to monitor the breathing of a patient and comprising means for monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said means for monitoring being in communication with a nasal mask and the monitoring providing a signal indicative of the parameter being monitored;
- and means to process said signal indicative of said respiratory parameter to provide at least one index useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea.
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27. An apparatus useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea of a patient, said apparatus being configured for non-clinical use to monitor the breathing of a patient and comprising means for monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said means for monitoring being in communication with a nasal mask and the monitoring providing a signal indicative of the parameter being monitored, and means for processing said signal to generate an index that provides a sleep disorders clinical professional information in a form to be useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea without the requirement for clinical sleep supervision.
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28. An apparatus useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea of a patient, said apparatus being configured for non-clinical use to monitor the breathing of a patient and comprising means for monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said means for monitoring being in communication with a nasal mask and said monitoring providing a signal of the parameter being monitored;
- and means for monitoring a non-respiratory parameter.
- View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. An apparatus useful in the diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing of a patient, said apparatus comprising means for monitoring a plurality of respiratory parameters of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said monitoring providing a signal indicative of the parameters being monitored, said monitoring means being fitted to a nasal mask adapted to be worn by said patient to cover said patient'"'"'s mouth.
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31. A method useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea of a patient, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a monitoring apparatus for monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said monitoring apparatus being in communication with a nasal mask and said monitoring apparatus being configured for non-clinical use to provide a signal indicative of the parameter being monitored;
b) monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient using said monitoring apparatus; and
c) providing said signal to a sleep disorders clinical professional in the diagnosis of said sleep apnea.
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32. A method of monitoring one or more respiratory parameters of a patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said one or more respiratory parameters being useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a nasal mask to substantially surround said patient'"'"'s nasal passages;
b) providing said nasal mask with access to a source of breathable gas to said patient;
c) providing said nasal mask with a sensor capable of measuring one or more respiratory parameters and transmitting one or more signals indicative of values of said parameters; and
d) providing additional sensors used in conjunction with said sensor for monitoring a non-respiratory parameter. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A method of diagnosing whether a patient has sleep apnea, comprising the steps of:
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providing the patient with apnea monitoring apparatus configured for home use to monitor at least one parameter of breathing of said patient, said monitoring apparatus being in communication with a nasal mask configured to be worn over the nasal passages of the patient;
allowing the patient to sleep at home while being monitored by said sleep apnea monitoring apparatus;
generating data indicative of said breathing parameter during the patient'"'"'s home sleep;
analyzing said breathing parameter data; and
diagnosing the presence of sleep apnea on the basis of said breathing parameter data.
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35. A method of diagnosing a patient for the condition of sleep apnea comprising the steps of:
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providing said patient with an apparatus configured for home monitoring of the frequency and severity of the patient'"'"'s snoring, hypopnea and apnea, said apparatus being in communication with a nasal mask;
generating data at said patient'"'"'s home indicative of the frequency and severity of said patient'"'"'s snoring, hypopnea and apnea; and
diagnosing the presence of sleep apnea on the basis of said data.
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36. A method for determining by home monitoring whether a patient requires diagnosis of sleep apnea in a sleep clinic comprising the steps of:
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providing said patient with an apparatus configured for home monitoring of data indicative of the frequency and severity of said patient'"'"'s snoring, hypopnea and apnea, said apparatus being in communication with a nasal mask; and
analyzing said data for the presence of snoring, hypopnea and apnea patterns during said home monitoring to determine whether the patient requires a clinic environment for further observation and testing.
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Specification