Investment could aid growth
of medical equipment provider

By Marcin Skomial

Breathing Disorders Services Inc., a home medical equipment provider, said Friday it has secured capital from Council Oak, an investment banking firm.  The amount of investment was undisclosed.

Because of the investment, Oklahoma City-based Breathing Disorder could become a $20 million-a-year business within the next three years, said an official company spokesperson.

The company, which was founded in 1995, is building its niche in the market for equipment used to treat sleep disorder.

It is hoping to benefit from the results of a recent New England Journal of Medicine study that links sleep disorders with cardiovascular disease.

The study suggests patients with sleep disorders are at greater risk of having a cardiovascular disease. That study also showed that CPAP, a device sold by Breathing Disorder, could reduce blood pressure in patients with sleep disorders.

According to the National Institute of Health, 20 to 27 million Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, a condition that forces an individual to repeatedly stop breathing during sleep.

CPAP is used to treat that disorder.

Since January, the company opened stores in Colorado, California, Arizona and North Carolina. It plans to add six more by next year.