As anyone who either suffers from sleep apnea ? or lives with someone who does ? knows, its most recognizable symptom is snoring. While snoring may be fertile fodder for jokes, the underlying condition ? the repeated stopping and starting of respiration during the sleep cycle ? is nothing to laugh about. ?Untreated sleep apnea has been linked to high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, liver problems, and possibly even dementia,? warns AARP.
Pembroke, North Carolina-based health care provider HealthKeeperz not only provides home care, it is a leading purveyor of home care medical equipment ? one type of which is the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. Frighteningly, these medical necessities suffered under the supply chain issues that came in tandem with the COVID-19 pandemic. Per an article by the Cleveland Clinic: ?A CPAP? machine is one of the most common treatments for sleep apnea. It keeps your airways open while you sleep so you can receive the oxygen you need for optimal function. CPAP machines can significantly improve sleep quality and reduce your risk for a number of health issues, including heart disease and stroke.?
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Led to the Current CPAP Shortage
Sleep apnea sufferers looking to replace or upgrade the older CPAP machines they?ve come to depend on, as well as new patients who?ve been prescribed CPAP treatment by their physicians for the first time, have recently been faced with a real dilemma of rising demand outweighing an...