A variety of treatment options are available for people suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Depending on the severity of the condition, treatments can range from lifestyle modifications like weight loss and increased exercise, to more intrusive options such as medication or even surgery.
Treatment with CPAP
For many years, the “gold standard” in sleep apnea treatment has been the Continuous Airway Pressure System, commonly known as CPAP. This treatment has been in use since the early 1980s, when an Australian researcher first introduced the idea of treating sleep apnea by blowing air into the patient’s nasal passages. The researcher, Dr. Colin Sullivan, developed the pioneering device, which used a reversed vacuum cleaner motor to blow air into the sleeping patient’s nose using a Silastic tubing to keep the airway open. The first CPAP machines were large, bulky and noisy, but by the late 1980s, CPAP technology was much improved, and it became the preferred treatment option for OSA.
Today’s CPAP delivers a constant stream of room air, often heated and humidified, through a mask into the patient’s nasal passages. The CPAP blower system is no longer big and bulky, but consists of a small bedside unit. However, the technology still greatly limits nighttime movement. The air pressure delivered by the CPAP machine needs to be calibrated so that it does not overwhelm normal breathing. Most patients, however, experience some difficulty at first exhaling through the nose into the continuous airstream.
To insure the best possible adjustment to the CPAP device, airflow settings must be adjusted and observed by technicians while the patient is asleep. This may be done during an initial sleep study, as in the case above. If not, a second stay in an overnight sleep lab may be required to properly adjust the device.
Disadvantages of CPAP
Despite advances in CPAP technology, patient complaince rates over long periods of time are relatively low. More than half of patients diagnosed with OSA and fitted with CPAP devices stop using them within six months of diagnosis. Various factors, including discomfort, noise level, and inconvenience during travel cause many people to give up on the machine.
Recent research has surveyed the effectiveness of CPAP technology in treating sleep apnea over extended periods of time, and the results are striking. This research indicates that as many as 25% to 54% of patients will eventually discontinue their use of the CPAP device. OSA sufferers who do not wear their CPAP machines increase their risk of heart failure, high blood pressure and stroke. All appropriate measures should be taken by CPAP wearers to improve the comfort of the device, but if discomfort and intolerance persists, other treatment options are available.
Treatment with BiPAP
Some of the common problems associated with CPAP therapy can be resolved by using the BiPAP, or Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure machine, which offers more flexiblity than CPAP. The BiPAP can be set so that the machine blows at different strengths during inhalation and during exhalation. Patients who have difficulty breathing out against the air pressure of CPAP often find this device more effective.
Lucy Tashman - As a writer, I draw on my background in environmental studies, natural history, botany, and herbal medicine, combined with a lifelong ...
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