Patients on CPAP may find Automatic PAP more comfortable

March 13, 2007

According to a recent study published in Sleep journal, obstructive sleep apnea patients who require high fixed pressures preferred ResMed's auto-adjusting positive airway pressure (APAP) over basic continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. The study's results indicated that ResMed's APAP and CPAP were equally effective in managing patients. However, patients requiring higher fixed pressures (at least 8 cm H 2 O) preferred APAP, while those requiring lower pressure (below 8 cm H 2 O) preferred CPAP. The study also suggested a trend toward better long-term compliance with APAP compared to CPAP therapy. The authors recommend that APAP therapy be prescribed for patients who have difficulty tolerating standard CPAP, or in patients who require high fixed-pressure levels with CPAP.¹

CPAP devices have become the standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and have been shown to produce significant benefits in obstructive sleep apnea patients. However, not all CPAP patients are compliant with their therapy. High pressure can cause discomfort and side effects such as mask leak and nasal congestion. These side effects may lead patients to abandon their therapy or not use it regularly. However, on the flip side, insufficient pressure may result in ineffective therapy. Because the amount of pressure required for effective CPAP therapy varies according to sleep stage, sleep position and other factors, APAP devices provide a comfortable and effective solution for patients who require high pressures during obstructive events. APAP automatically delivers lower pressures when the needs of the patient are low, and high pressures when they are needed, such as during REM sleep or in supine position (lying on the back). Many studies show the average nightly pressure to be lower on APAP versus basic CPAP, and lower pressures may improve patient comfort, reduce side effects and lead to increased patient compliance.

It is important to note that not all APAP devices are created equal. In an independent study by Sleep Review that compared the performance of APAP devices across the industry, ResMed's premium APAP device, the S8 AutoSet Vantage™, was the only device shown to perform consistently over time, through all three studies.² In addition, AutoSet™ devices have been demonstrated in other research to provide treatment as effectively or more effectively than CPAP therapy, providing treatment at pressures averaging 37% lower than standard CPAP.³ The S8 AutoSet Vantage uses AutoSet technology to adjust pressure on a breath-by-breath basis and deliver the lowest pressure necessary to maintain airway patency.

References

1. Nolan 2007
2. Eiken & McCoy 2005
3. Massie et al. AJRCCM 2003