Do you know 1 in 10 people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have overlap syndrome or both occurring together with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)? COPD is a group of diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis that causes airflow blockage and breathing-related problems whereas OSA is a sleep-related breathing disorder when the airway is blocked and interrupts breathing for longer than 10 seconds at least 5 times per hour during sleep. Although there are medications or surgery to treat COPD, there is non-invasive ventilation (NIV) therapy treatment option that can help patients breathe better, and one such example is ResMed’s VPAP COPD.
NIV treatment comprises a machine that provides air through a tube and mask that is similar to CPAP but VPAP COPD is designed specifically to treat COPD with key comfort features such as an easy home setup plug-in and uses with a default setting that is made set to COPD, separate pressure settings for inhalation and exhalation makes it easier to breathe and it syncs up with real-time breathing pattern, climate control humidification, and temperature settings to maximize
comfort, and it works with oxygen therapy if you are on one as the ClimateLineMax Oxy tube connects to both the oxygen tube and VPAP COPD machine with warmed humidified air for added comfort. There are other machines catered to people in various stages of COPD, do consult the doctor about which type of machine suits your condition the best to treat your COPD symptoms.
Since medication or surgery is available as a treatment option but why choose NIV for COPD? NIV has been shown to treat both type 1 and type 2 respiratory failure, hypoxemia which is caused by impaired gas exchange in the lung tissue for type 1 respiratory failure, and hypercapnia caused by ventilatory failure and type 2 respiratory failure. NIV is commonly used in hospitals for COPD patients with acute exacerbation and has been shown to improve patient’s quality of life, reduce
the risk of getting hospitalized due to COPD-related events, and reduce the risk of mortality over one year. If you suspect that you might be at risk for COPD, there is a 5-question screening quiz that can be accessed on the COPD foundation’s website, do consult the results with the doctor and seek advise if NIV treatment can help treat the symptoms. On the other hand, if you or your family
member is experiencing the symptoms of sleep apnea such as snoring, do consult the doctor to be diagnosed early via sleep apnea CPAP trial inthe comfort of your home or an in lab sleep test to avoid any long-term issues and early intervention such as CPAP therapy with a sleep apnea device to stop snoring, get better quality of sleep, and healthier overall well-being.
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