Are you always tired? Examine your risk of sleep apnea with ResMed's Sleep Assessment app for iPhone® or iPod Touch®

SAN DIEGO, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- ResMed (NYSE: RMD) today released the ResMed Sleep Assessment app, a novel new app for iPhone that lets users record themselves during sleep. The app also includes a clinically validated questionnaire that assesses their risk and other helpful features to empower users to discuss their sleep health with their physician.

Excessive tiredness may be due to sleep apnea

Feeling excessively tired or fatigued is often the result of disrupted, unhealthy sleep. Numerous factors can lead to poor quality sleep, some of which have significant negative health effects. One possible cause of fatigue is sleep apnea, a common sleep disorder. People with sleep apnea report feeling like they're living in a fog, and that no matter how much they sleep they still feel exhausted.

Sleep apnea is a serious health condition in which a person stops breathing temporarily during sleep. After several seconds, the brain triggers a wake-up response, causing the person to awaken gasping. These events may happen hundreds of times per night, though the sleeper usually won't remember waking up. Often a spouse or partner will notice that the person snores loudly during sleep.

Sleep apnea affects approximately one in five U.S. adults, although it is estimated that as many as 80% of sleep apnea sufferers are undiagnosed and untreated.(1) A known cause of hypertension, untreated sleep apnea has also been linked with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression and stroke.(2-6) People who have sleep apnea feel chronically fatigued and may experience a variety of other symptoms, such as headaches, difficulty concentrating and irritability, to name just a few. Additionally, the loud snoring of sleep apnea can be disruptive to relationships, wreaking equal havoc on a spouse or partner's quality of sleep.

Treating sleep apnea improves health and relieves symptoms

Fortunately, effective sleep apnea treatment has been shown to improve the health of sleep apnea sufferers and eliminate the symptoms and tiredness, as well as the snoring. Treating sleep apnea can lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular function and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes, and reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease.(2-6) However, the first step to treatment is getting diagnosed.

A simple tool to aid diagnosis

"The negative health impacts of untreated sleep apnea are well-established and extensive. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people suffering from this condition are unaware," stated Drew Terry, Sr.Product Director, ResMed. "We wanted to develop a free, simple tool that will ultimately help people at risk for sleep apnea get on the path to diagnosis and treatment. We believe the ResMed Sleep Assessment app will encourage people to recognize their risk and seek medical help."

ResMed's Sleep Assessment app combines a clinically validated questionnaire that quantifies a person's risk of sleep apnea based on known characteristics with an overnight snore recorder that lets them compare their snoring to the snoring of an actual sleep apnea patient. With the snore recorder feature, the user simply starts the app and sets their device by their bedside before sleep. The device records them throughout the night. Users can play back their recording and compare it to sample recordings from actual sleep apnea patients. They may also refer to their recording and questionnaire results when speaking with a physician about their sleep concerns.

In addition to the snore recorder and questionnaire, ResMed's Sleep Assessment app also includes a Sleep Lab Locator, which helps users find a sleep center in their area. Additionally, the app includes a "Sounds to Sleep By" feature with recordings of soothing sounds to play while drifting off to sleep.

Helping people take control of their sleep health

"Our hope is that the ResMed Sleep Assessment app will help people at risk for sleep apnea take the first step toward taking control of their health and getting treatment for their condition," Terry said. "We encourage people to share the app with their friends, loved ones and anyone who might be concerned about their quality of sleep."

To learn more and to download the Sleep Assessment app, visit http://www.resmedsleepassess.com/.

About ResMed

ResMed is a global leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of medical products for the diagnosis, treatment and management of respiratory disorders, with a focus on sleep-disordered breathing. The company is dedicated to developing innovative products to improve the lives of those who suffer from these conditions and to increasing awareness among patients and healthcare professionals of the potentially serious health consequences of untreated sleep-disordered breathing. For more information on ResMed, visit http://www.resmed.com/.

Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking" statements as contemplated by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company's future revenue, earnings or expenses, new product development and new markets for the Company's products, are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to materially differ from those projected or implied in the forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for its most recent fiscal year and in other reports the Company files with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Those reports are available on the Company's Web site.

SOURCE ResMed