Sleep Apnea Clinic

Since the accident of a train operator's dozing off during work on the Sanyo Shinkansen line in February 2003, the name of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) has become familiar to people. OSAS is complicated by lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity, and the prognosis is poor if untreated. Nevertheless, it is no pessimistic condition since the beneficial effect of CPAP (nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy on OSAS has been established. However, many OSAS patients remain undiagnosed and untreated, because the predominant symptoms of OSAS are nonspecific including respiratory arrest during sleep and drowsiness in the daytime, and thus unlikely to be recognized as a disease. The Sleep Apnea OPS is intended to allow OSAS patients (and their families) to become aware of their conditions and receive diagnosis/treatment as early as possible, recover a sound sleep, reduce risks for hypertension and other complications, and increase their life expectancy shortened by OSAS.