VERSAILLES, OH – May, 2012 – Midmark Corporation, a trusted leader in digital diagnostic devices for ambulatory care, recently released an algorithm update to provide actigraphy based sleep-wake time analysis that enables computation of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) used in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). AHI, an index used to assess the severity of OSA, is calculated by dividing the total number of apneas and hypopneas by the total number of hours of sleep or sleep time.
Introduced in 2011, the Midmark SleepView® Monitor is the market’s smallest and lightest portable home sleep testing device and meets all American Academy of Sleep Medicine guidelines for a Type-III portable monitor. SleepView allows patients to be tested for OSA in the comfort, convenience and privacy of their own home.
“With up to 90 percent of OSA patients remaining undiagnosed today, improvements are urgently needed in identifying and formally diagnosing those at risk,” said Tom Treon, senior product manager for Midmark. “Home sleep testing with SleepView represents a powerful option towards improving patient care related to sleep apnea. Midmark remains committed to exploring opportunities that advance the viability, accuracy and affordability of home sleep testing.”
Testing utilizing SleepView can occur during one night of sleep after the prescribing physician provides the device to the patient. Once the patient has watched the short introductory video and administered the test in the comfort and convenience of the home setting, he or she returns the device to the prescribing physician. The physician then either reviews the raw sleep test data or chooses to upload the data into the secure, HIPAA compliant SleepView Portal where it is scored by registered polysomnographic technologists and interpreted by board-certified sleep physicians. The physician schedules a follow up visit with the patient to review test results, provide treatment recommendations and discusses long-term management to ensure treatment effectiveness.
For more information on Midmark’s SleepView, please visit www.midmark.com/sleepview