The second is related to the falling of blood oxygen level at night. There are several approaches to treating this potentially serious disorder ranging from surgery to the use of a special device while the patient sleeps. I think one of the most important advantages in the CPAP treatment for obstructive sleep apnea has been the development of a wide variety of different sorts of masks and nasal devices which permit pressure to be transmitted to the upper airway. The FDA has recently approved several new devices that substantially improve the bedside technology used to manage this condition. The new products offer greater comfort to the patient, making it easier for the patient to follow Doctor s orders.
Some products even provide feedback about how regularly the patient is using the device.
Now that we have many, many different forms of these masks and nasal devices more people are being able to tolerate them because they re more comfortable. The consequences of untreated sleep apnea can be severe to the patient, his or her family, and the community at large. From noisy snoring and gasping, awakening a bed partner, to falling asleep on the job, the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea represents a new set of challenges for individuals and society. They obtain a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea, get treated with CPAP and their level of alertness and ability to stay awake during the day is completely normal. The new treatment devices, like all such durable medical equipment, are only available through a doctor s prescription and can be obtained from home health care distributors.