San Jose, California (PRWEB) October 05, 2012
Follow us on LinkedIn Sleep apnea refers to the breathing disturbance caused in sleep. A relatively new market in the medical field, interest in sleep apnea has gathered momentum only in the recent past owing to the rising incidence of the disorder. Factors responsible for the growing incidence of sleep apnea include obesity and aging. There are around 84 types of sleep disorders presently known, of which Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most frequently occurring type, with about 100 million individuals across the world suffering from OSA. Of this, about 83% of the cases are still undiagnosed. However, the awareness of the disease condition, and of the co-morbid conditions, among patients and doctors is growing. Against this backdrop, given the large percentage of undiagnosed sufferers, there exist vast prospects for sleep apnea diagnostic and therapeutic devices. Increasing preference for home diagnostics is encouraging individuals to undergo sleep testing in the comfort of their homes, increasing the rate of diagnosis.
Patient compliance remains one of the key market challenges, despite the recent technological advancements in Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) devices, screening devices, adaptive servo-ventilation systems, oral appliances, Polysomnographs (PSG) devices, actigraphy devices, humidifiers, oxygen devices, along with related accessories. Restricted reimbursement levels globally constitute another market challenge. Recent expansion of coverage by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS/Medicare) for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices in home care bodes well for the US sleep apnea market, the largest regional market worldwide. Private insurers are also expected to follow suit, as costs associated with disorders linked to sleep apnea could be far higher than costs associated with sleep apnea alone. Increase in coverage is expected to lead to a significant decrease in costs for both diagnostic and therapeutic devices, making them affordable to a wider section of the population. Expanded coverage could emerge as the catalyst for growth in the market.
The United States dominates the global market for Sleep Apnea Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices, as stated by the new market research report on Sleep Apnea Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices. Sleep apnea is seen in more than 18 million individuals in the US. The sleep therapy sector presents lucrative growth opportunities given the increasing number of patients diagnosed with OSA in the US. Nevertheless, growth is expected to mainly surge from the emerging markets, including the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. The regions together are projected to surge ahead, exhibiting a CAGR of 18.9% over the analysis period. With better equipped sleep labs and increasing knowledge among general physicians, the markets are geared up for significant growth. Europe and Japan offer more significant growth opportunities compared to the US, given the fact that penetration rates are much lower than in the United States.
Sleep apnea therapeutic devices represent the largest as well as fastest growing market category compared to the diagnostic devices, wherein Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices are the most used therapeutic devices for treating sleep apnea. New technological advancements in the form of improved mask design, delay times that raise air pressure at a steady rate, auto PAP devices that lower average pressure, etc. have enhanced patient compliance levels in the recent years. In terms of the sleep apnea diagnostic devices category, Clinical or Fixed Polysomnographs devices represent the largest segment.
Major producers of sleep apnea devices profiled in the report include Grass Technologies, Cadwell Laboratories