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Method and apparatus for the diagnosis of sleep apnea utilizing a single interface with a human body part

  • US 5,398,682 A
  • Filed: 11/15/1993
  • Issued: 03/21/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A sleep apnea treatment device, comprising:

  • an oximeter, having an output signal indicating an oxygen saturation of a patient'"'"'s blood;

    a processor element, responsive to said signal indicating oxygen saturation, for identifying at least two consecutive desaturation events, in which said oxygen saturation falls below a baseline level by a predetermined amount and for a predetermined time,said processor element identifies each desaturation event only when it also includes a resaturation, immediately following said desaturation and coupled with each said desaturation, in which the oxygen saturation rises,said processor element for calculating a slope of each said desaturation event representing a rate of change per unit time of fall of oxygen saturation,said processor element for comparing said calculated slopes with value of slopes which are determined in advance to be indicative of sleep apnea and making a diagnosis of sleep apnea based on said comparing and wherein said comparing is also based on at least one slope of said resaturation; and

    a positive pressure generating device, constructed and arranged to administer positive airway pressure through a patient'"'"'s nasal pharynx, and wherein said processing element actuates said positive pressure activating device upon identification of said at least two consecutive slopes, said positive pressure generating device being activated by oxygen saturation of the patient to thereby mitigate further desaturation.

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