Itamar Medical, Framingham, Mass, has received FDA clearance for the Watch-PAT, with its additional capabilities. The application can now provide additional information about sleep quality, sleep time, and complete sleep architecture, with further analysis of light and deep sleep stages. The Watch-PAT diagnostic system can offer data without the attachment of EEG electrodes for sleep studies in the home.
The expanded Watch-PAT system provides physicians with all parameters required to confirm or rule out obstructive sleep apnea, including; apnea-hypopnea index, respiratory disturbance index, oxygen desaturation index, heart rate, snoring intensity, and body position.
“Following the recent decision by CMS to cover CPAP therapy following a sleep study conducted at home, more providers are adopting the Watch-PAT,” says Gary Sagiv, vice president of Itamar. “And with the new capabilities, diagnosing clinicians and referring physicians will receive information closely resembling the information provided following a sleep study in the laboratory,” he adds.
