Complying With CPAP Treatment Prevents Hospital Readmission for Sleep Apnea Patients

For those who suffer from sleep apnea, being advised to use CPAP can be overwhelming. Most people who tried it quickly abandoned it because it wasn't comfortable.

But, a CPAP can help patients avoid a variety of problems, such as terrible sleep, certain health conditions, and fatigue. Also, recent studies suggest that patients who did not use CPAP therapy have the increased likelihood of hospital readmission due to several causes, such as cardiovascular concerns.

Sleep apnea and the use of CPAP: A brief overview

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a chronic disease that is affecting approximately 30 million adults in the U.S. It is a condition wherein breathing stops for a few seconds during sleep, and it can cause the decreased flow of oxygen in the blood, which, in turn, causes tiredness and excessive daytime fatigue. Certain causes include, but are not limited to, weight and obesity, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, and certain dental conditions.

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is a therapy that has been specifically designed for the treatment of breathing problems, such as sleep apnea. This ventilator applies to a constant flow of pressure provided through a mask to keep airways open.

Non-adherence to CPAP can cause hospital readmission

There are various consequences if sleep apnea is left untreated. Daytime sleepiness, faulty working memory, attention problems, and tiredness caused by a disturbance of sleep can put the patients at an increased risk of accidents.

Also, recent studies showed that patients who are non-adherent to the use of CPAP are more likely to face health problems, such as heart attack and high blood pressure. Moreover, sleep apnea is also linked to type 2 diabetes and increases the risk of stroke.

These factors that are directly associated with untreated sleep apnea would make patients more likely to be readmitted to the hospital. This can cause additional costs to the patient, as well as to the other people involved.

Research conducted by Truong et al. revealed that those patients who are not using CPAP are more likely to be readmitted in the hospital. Another study suggested that treatment with CPAP was associated with reducing the daytime sleepiness. Moreover, the use of CPAP also showed a significant improvement in health-related quality of life, mood, and attendance at work.

Read on to learn why you may want to consider using your CPAP again.