Sleep Apnea Treatment Drives Respiratory Market Growth

Of all respiratory treatments, the fastest growing market segment through 2018 will be devices used for the treatment of sleep apnea. These are the latest findings of Kalorama Information (New York, NY, USA), an independent medical market research firm.

Sleep apnea is a condition of chronic airway obstruction during sleep, potentially leading to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotence, and headaches. The major underlying mechanisms or causes of sleep apnea include obstructive sleep apnea (OSA, the most common form of sleep apnea), frequently found in obese and aged individuals with low muscle tone and excessive soft tissue around the airway; central apnea, an imbalance in the brain’s respiratory control center that leads to a delayed neurological response to carbon dioxide (CO2) blood levels; and mixed apnea, a combination of central apnea and OSA.

The majority of the sleep apnea device market is served by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) systems, which consist of a flow generator that feeds a constant, controllable air pressure into the patient’s airway via a hose and mask over the nose. Some CPAP devices reduce air pressure upon exhalation to increase patient comfort, though such a feature is standard with bi-level positive airway pressure (PAP) systems intended for more sleep-sensitive patients or those with other respiratory issues. Automatic PAP (APAP) systems continuously adjust air pressure to accommodate variable patient breathing and reduce resistive pressure during exhalation.

“Respiratory health in populations worldwide has been challenged by numerous factors including worsening air quality, substandard living conditions, other allergenic risk factors, and even economic development,” concluded report author Kalorama analyst Mary Anne Crandall. “Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) have been significant factors fueling contemporary market growth.”

Over 20 million North American individuals are believed to suffer from sleep apnea, and there may be 30 million individuals in Europe and 220 million in the Asia-Pacific with the condition. This rate of prevalence is not surprising, given the risk factors, such as age, body weight, diabetes, and smoking. Among men aged 30-60 years old in the United States, the overall prevalence of sleep apnea is estimated at 9%–24%, but sleep apnea prevalence in diabetics is estimated at almost 50%, 77% for obese individuals, and 87% among obese individuals with type 2 diabetes.

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