By Lori Peters, RRT, AMSR Respiratory Therapist

Question: What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Answer: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a common disorder that involves pauses, or periods of apnea, while someone sleeps. These pauses between breaths might last from 10 seconds to a few minutes. The severity of apnea is measured in terms of the number of times the apnea occurs over the course of an hour; this can be anywhere from 5 to 30 times or more. The apneic period ends when the patient takes his or her next breath, oftentimes with a loud snorting sound. Sleep apnea results in low nighttime blood oxygen levels and daytime sleepiness, due to the restless sleep from the night before.

OSA is usually caused by an airway that has collapsed or is blocked for some reason; oftentimes, this reason is obesity.

Untreated sleep apnea can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and diabetes. OSA might also increase the likelihood of irregular heartbeats and increase the possibility of work- or driving-related accidents. In women, it can also increase or worsen the risk of heart failure.

Diagnosing OSA involves a Sleep Study and treatment includes everything from lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, to CPAP therapy to surgery.

Many people are not even aware that they have OSA; however, a sleeping partner might notice irregularities in breathing. If you think that someone you know might have sleep apnea, please check with your doctor. Sleep apnea is a serious, chronic medical condition that should be diagnosed and treated by a qualified physician.

If your doctor diagnoses you, or someone you love, with sleep apnea, AMSR will be happy to answer any questions that you might about CPAP Therapy

The group of 10 completed a 5-mile hike near Idaho Springs, Colorado. Supplemental oxygen in tow, they left the trailhead at Summit Lake (elevation 12,840 feet) at 9 a.m. and summited scenic Mount Evans (elevation 14,264 feet) at 1:30 p.m.

AMSR customer service manager John More said it was a challenge for him to keep up with customers Lyn Cole and Mike McBride, whose normal oxygen use rates are 3 to 4 liters per minute. On the high-altitude hike, they needed about 15 liters per minute, but as long as their supplemental oxygen needs were being met, they were able to hike safely and have fun.

Of course, oxygen users should seek physician clearance before attempting such a hike, as Lyn and Mike did.

“It just goes to show what oxygen users can do if they plan carefully and have access to the extra oxygen they might need,” said John.

People on oxygen therapy are typically more susceptible to respiratory viruses and bacteria. With the winter months fast-approaching, ensuring that your nasal cannula is germ-free is even more important AND good common sense!

Simply wipe down the part (prongs) that inserts into your nose, as well as the seven-foot length of tube that connects to it, with an alcohol swab once a day. If you’re on oxygen 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it might be easier for you to have two cannulas at all times—one to use while the other is being wiped down and allowed to dry.

Alternate the cannulas for two weeks only, then discard them and use new ones.

To order cannulas, contact our Customer Care Agents at 1-877-338-7864.

American Medical’s rental program provides customers with the mobility to travel anywhere, anytime. Our extensive fleet of portable oxygen concentrators includes both pulse and continuous flow machines.

Choose from any of our products, Respironics Evergo, Inogen One G2, SeQual Eclipse III, DeVilbiss IGO.

Renting a concentrator is as easy as making a phone call. Call one of our friendly customer care agents and describe your travel plans and concentrator requirements. We will help you select the unit and batteries that will fulfill all of your needs.

We will ship your concentrator to arrive 24 hours before your travel begins. Unpack your unit and call us with any questions. Our customer care agents are happy to discuss any set-up questions.

Enjoy your travels; we have a full time customer service department to support you.

When you return, simply repack your unit using the prepaid return shipping label and drop it off at any UPS drop off location.

We are here to help. Our goal is to make your life a little easier by providing you with remarkable customer service. Please call anytime, we would love to hear from you.

Our weekly packages start at just $245. Call one of our customer care agents for more information.

Respironics Ever-Go: Rinse and completely dry the side gross particle filter weekly/bi-weekly depending on the use of the machine

Respironics Ever-Flo: Change internal hepa filter annually/bi-annually depending on the environment and use of he machine

SeQual Eclipse: A Preventative Maintenance (PM) service is recommended by the manufacturer. This includes replacing the 9-volt internal alarm battery, and bacteria, internal hepa and gross particle filters. This procedure can only be completed by an authorized service center because it involves opening up the unit.

Invacare XPO2: Remove unit from carry bag and lift up front face plate to access the gross particle filter. Rinse and completely dry weekly/bi-weekly depending on the use of the machine. Replace the Inlet/Herpa filter annually/bi-annually dependent upon use.

Invacare Perfecto 2: Rinse and completely dry the gross particle filter on the rear of the machine weekly/bi-weekly depending on the use of the machine. Replace internal hepa filter annually/bi-annually depending on the environment and the use of the machine.

Inogen One G1: Rinse and completely dry the gross particle filter located in the rear of the machine weekly/bi-weekly depending on the environment and the use of the machine.

Inogen One G2: Rinse and completely dry the screen filter located on the rear of the machine weekly/bi-weekly depending on the environment and the use of the machine.

Devilbiss I-GO: Rinse and completely dry the gross particle filter located on the top where the patients hand goes. Perform this task/duty weekly/bi-weekly depending on the environment and the use of the machine.

We have all filters in stock, feel free to give us a call if you have any questions or problems changing your filters. For our SeQual customers, we are an authorized repair center and are offering SeQual PM’s at a discount this month. See the coupon for details.

What if we want to take our health or physical fitness to another level? Here, at American Medical Sales & Repair, we often field calls from people who are looking into Exercise with Oxygen Therapy, or EWOT.

The theory behind EWOT goes back to the work of two German doctors in the early part of the 20th century. One of these doctors, Dr. Manfred von Ardenne, conducted roughly 150 studies that combined exercise with oxygen use. His conclusion was that EWOT could be used to recover from illness or to improve overall wellness or exercise performance.

The theory is that breathing in higher concentrations of oxygen increases the level of oxygen in our blood plasma. So, while this does not affect our Red Blood Cells (RBCs), it still allows the tissues in our bodies to receive more oxygen. This, in turn, enhances the functioning of these tissues. According to the Advanced Wellness Center in Sarasota, FL, we might experience immediate improvement in “energy, vision, and mental clarity.”

Most proponents of EWOT recommend 15 minutes of exercise while on oxygen levels of at least 8 LPM (liters per minute), while some sources recommend using as high as 15 LPM. This can be accomplished via either a high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) or a simple oxygen mask (SOM), depending on the flow rate and the oxygen concentrator being used.

At American Medical Sales & Repair, we are able to offer you a complete EWOT package: a 10-liter per minute oxygen concentrator, high flow nasal cannula or oxygen mask and a high flow humidifier bottle. All for a reasonable price! All we ask for in return is that you consult your doctor first for his or her approval AND a prescription for high flow oxygen. Remember, at AMSR, when you breathe easier, we breathe easier!

Most people with COPD know what triggers are going to make their COPD symptoms worsen; weather and air pollution are the two biggest culprits. With the winter months upon us and the temperatures dropping, knowing how to prevent cold weather discomfort might mean the difference between staying in and going outside.

When the weather turns cold and we go outside, our airways respond by narrowing and then restricting the air or oxygen flow into the lungs. This, of course, makes it more difficult to breathe.

Is there anything that we can do to prevent this from happening?

First and foremost, check with your doctor, but here are a few handy tips for fighting the cold:

1) Wear a mask, scarf or turtleneck over your mouth and nose
2) Breathe in through your nose as this allows your body to naturally warm and add moisture to the air
3) If you use a bronchodilator (inhaler), ask your doctor about administering a dose about 3o minutes before you go outside
4) If you use oxygen, hide your oxygen tubing (nasal cannula) inside your clothing. The cold temperatures can make your tubing cold and brittle!! Plus, it will help to keep your O2 warm!

So, don’t let the cold weather keep you away from family and friends this Holiday Season! Bundle up and don’t forget the oxygen! And if you need help with a rental unit to take that winter vacation, please give us a call at AMSR…remember, if you breathe easier, we breathe easier…

www.mayoclinic.com
www.copdnewsoftheday.com

Travel with Confidence with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator!

If you used an oxygen concentrator 10 years ago, you know how big and heavy they used to be. Thank goodness times have changed. Today’s portable models are so small and light that now you can travel anywhere!

Airplane travel

The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, has ruled that all passengers who require oxygen must be allowed to bring FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrators on all U.S. aircraft with more than 19 seats. Foreign airlines must also allow portable oxygen concentrators on all flights to and from U.S soil.

Rest assured that all the oxygen concentrators we sell and rent are FAA-approved.

Train travel

Amtrak also allows medically necessary oxygen equipment onboard. You just need to give them 12 hours’ advance notice and assure them you have the needed equipment, including adequate battery back-up. Call 1-800-USA-RAIL.

We recommend you reserve a Superliner Accessible Bedroom for your Amtrak trip. These are lower-level rooms with space for a wheelchair and two adults. Even if you don’t use a wheelchair, you’ll appreciate having the extra space for your oxygen equipment.

Car travel

Who doesn’t love an old-fashioned road trip? Most of today’s portable concentrators come with a DC power supply that plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter outlet. This makes it easy to power and recharge your concentrator no matter how long your drive.

If you’re not sure, call and ask us if your portable concentrator has a DC power supply.

Fall is a gorgeous time of year to travel, so we hope you’ll get out there and enjoy it. Bon voyage!

Here are several things you can do:

1. Break In New Batteries

New batteries are “dead batteries” when they arrive at your home. This just means you need to charge them before you use them. We recommend that you fully charge your battery then use it until it “dies,” then fully charge it again. Do this for 2 to 4 cycles to prime the battery to reach its maximum-rated capacity.

2. Keep Your Batteries Clean

Clean dirty battery contacts with a cotton swab and alcohol. This helps maintain a good connection between the battery and the portable device.

3. Exercise Your Battery

Don’t leave batteries dormant for long periods of time. We recommend using your battery at least once every 2 to 3 weeks. If a battery hasn’t been used for a long time, re-perform the new battery break-in procedure described above.

4. Battery Storage

If you don’t plan on using your battery for a month or more, store it in a clean, dry, cool place away from heat and metal objects. NiCad, NiMH and Li-Ion batteries will self-discharge during storage; remember to break them in before use.

Hidden from sight, our cells battle challenges such as their environment, bacteria, viruses, too much or too little oxygen, and physiological stressors. Molecular systems protect cells under assault, but those systems can break down, especially with age.

To better understand how cells are protected from stress and damage, a team led by Northwestern University researchers studied the effect of resveratrol, a beneficial chemical found in red wine, on human cells in tissue culture.

The findings may help explain what happens in neurodegenerative diseases, which are age-related, when cell protection fails, proteins misfold, lots of damage accumulates and the system falls apart.

The researchers discovered a new molecular relationship critical to keeping cells healthy across a long span of time: a protein called SIRT1, important for caloric restriction and lifespan and activated by resveratrol, regulates heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), keeping it active. HSF1 in turn senses the presence of damaged proteins in the cell and elevates the expression of molecular chaperones to keep a cell’s proteins in a folded, functional state. Regulation of this pathway has a direct beneficial effect to cells, the research shows.

This role of SIRT1 — a protein already of great interest to pharmaceutical companies — was not previously known. The results will be published in the Feb. 20 issue of the journal Science.

“When SIRT1 levels are high, you are in a high-protection mode,” said Richard I. Morimoto, Bill and Gayle Cook Professor of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology in Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. He led the research team.

“Ironically, triggering the stress response and perhaps maintaining the cell in a protective state over a long period of time can keep cells healthy,” said Morimoto. “The cell is protected against an accumulation of damage when HSF1 is more active.”

SIRT1 levels decrease as humans age, Morimoto explains. Cells can’t respond to stress as well. This decrease in SIRT1 may help explain why protein misfolding diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and adult-onset diabetes, are diseases of aging.

“We now have a powerful way to think about addressing neurodegenerative diseases,” said Morimoto. “We have identified a pathway that can be manipulated to alter lifespan. Discovering this new basis for therapeutics is very exciting.”