Treatment for Sleep Apnea

Treating Sleep Apnea

Once a patient has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, therapy is prescribed by the primary care physician or by the sleep specialist. The gold standard therapy for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

CPAP is a noninvasive treatment that uses pressurized room air, supplied by a flow generator, to create a pneumatic splint that keeps the upper airway open and prevents apneas and hypopneas. The pressurized air is delivered to the patient via an interface that fits on/over the nose or nose and mouth. CPAP devices and interfaces are available through Home Medical Equipment (HME) providers.

As a noninvasive and non-pharmaceutical therapy, CPAP provides a treatment option free of potential complications and adverse drug reactions. Like all medical treatments, adherence to therapy is critical to achieving therapeutic benefit. Regular follow-up can help patients understand the importance of CPAP therapy to their health and well-being.

CPAP Devices

CPAP devices may deliver constant air pressure, bilevel air pressure, or air pressure that is automatically adjusted to provide only that pressure needed to prevent apneas and hypopneas (“automatic positive airway pressure,” or APAP). APAP devices may provide a more comfortable therapy option than constant air pressure devices.

Technological advances have enabled development of devices that are extremely quiet and compact. Similarly, the mask interfaces are available in a wide range of styles and sizes to fit the individual needs of each patient. ResMed is committed to providing high quality CPAP products that provide effective, comfortable, and quiet therapy. For more information on ResMed products, please visit www.ResMed.com.

Prescribing CPAP Therapy

Each patient with sleep apnea is prescribed an appropriate level of air pressure to maintain the patency of the upper airway during sleep. Determination of the correct pressure may be made by a sleep specialist in a sleep center, or can be performed using auto-adjusting devices. As described above, auto-adjusting devices automatically determine the level of air pressure needed with each breath and adjust appropriately.