A start-up has developed an application to download on your smartphone that allows you to evaluate if you have sleep apnea by simply sticking the phone on your chest. A chronic disease that can cause serious health problems for those affected.
With a simple application downloaded on her smartphone, Laura installs a device to detect sleep apnea.
«If I didn’t have the application, I would have had to first make an appointment with the sleep doctor who follows me, so at least a month of waiting. Then, you have to make another appointment to have the official device installed. Again, it takes an hour to have the device installed», says Laura Thioly, a user.
The device is a complete system for recording several sleep variables. The examination is called a polysomnograph and usually lasts one night, mostly spent in the hospital. It allows for the precise analysis and diagnosis of sleep apnea, a disease that has serious health consequences.
«It can lead to cardiovascular complications such as a heart attack, also known as a heart attack, a stroke, also known as a cerebral attack, or heart rhythm problems like atrial fibrillation, heart failure, hypertension. It can also contribute to cholesterol problems, diabetes», explains Dr. Justine Frija, a pulmonologist at Bichat – Claude Bernard Hospital (AP-HP).
The application, developed by a start-up, allows for the easy determination of the presence, more or less significant, of sleep apnea.
«It’s difficult to perform a polysomnography or a ventilatory polygraph. It’s a cumbersome apparatus. 80% of people affected by sleep apnea are not detected. We serve the purpose of detecting these 80% and then referring them to doctors», says Juliette Millet, an engineer at the Apneal start-up.
The device, currently under evaluation, has been tested on over 400 people and has proven its very good ability to identify respiratory events.
«For those without sleep apnea, it prevents them from spending the night in the hospital for no reason and allows them to see a sleep doctor without urgency to try to understand why they have sleep complaints. Conversely, for those with severe apnea, it can also sound the alarm», Dr. Justine Frija continues.
In a few weeks, the application will be commercialized. But the battle for its reimbursement by health insurance is not yet won.
A report by Norbert Cohen, Merak Movsissian, and Ina Palmer.
Nous, on sert à cela, à détecter ces 80 % là et ensuite à les rediriger vers des médecins», indique Juliette Millet, ingénieure à la start-up Apneal.
Le dispositif, en cours d’évaluation, a été testé sur plus de 400 personnes, et a prouvé sa très bonne capacité à identifier les événements respiratoires.
«Celui qui n’a pas d’apnée du sommeil, ça lui évite de faire la nuit à l’hôpital pour rien et ça peut lui permettre d’aller voir un médecin du sommeil sans urgence pour essayer de comprendre pourquoi il a une plainte de sommeil. À l’inverse, celui qui est très sévère, ça peut aussi lui tirer la sonnette d’alarme», poursuit le Dr Justine Frija.
Dans quelques semaines l’application sera commercialisée. Mais la bataille pour son remboursement par l’assurance maladie n’est pas encore gagnée.
Un reportage de Norbert Cohen, Merak Movsissian et Ina Palmer.
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