Maintaining properly your CPAP equipment (CPAP mask, CPAP tubes, CPAP filters) can make a difference in how effective your CPAP therapy is. Cleaning solutions consistently can help keep your CPAP equipment in good working and maintain your therapy at best possible. Use our replacement schedule to help you keep track when to replace your CPAP mask and supplies.

COVID-19, short for coronavirus disease 2019, is an infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is a newly identified pathogen that has not previously been seen in humans and is highly contagious. Though it belongs to the same category of viruses as SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and influenza viruses, SARS-CoV-2 is a different strain with its own characteristics.

COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and the outbreak has spread quickly across the world, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare COVID-19 a pandemic.

How does COVID-19 spread?

Because COVID-19 is a new virus, nobody has prior immunity to it, meaning the entire human population is prone to infection.

It primarily spreads via respiratory droplets when people cough or sneeze. Scientists have yet to understand how easily and sustainably the disease can spread among people. Based on available evidence, researchers do not think the airborne spread is a major transmission route.

Individuals over age 60 are at the highest risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19, while children do not seem to be at a higher risk than adults.

There are currently no reports about how susceptible pregnant women may be to COVID-19 or about the transmission of the virus through breast milk.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common symptoms of COVID-19 begin two to 14 days after exposure. They include fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Other symptoms include sputum production, shortness of breath, sore throat, headache, myalgia (muscle pain) or arthralgia (joint pain), chills, vomiting, and nasal congestion. Less frequent symptoms include diarrhoea, hemoptysis (coughing up blood from the respiratory tract), and conjunctival congestion.

Most of these symptoms are usually mild, and about 80% of people who get the virus will typically recover without needing any special treatment. However, about 1 in 6 patients become seriously ill and develop breathing difficulties.

What general preventive measures should people take?

The following simple preventive measures can help minimize the spread of COVID-19:

Wash your hands often with soap, lathering both the front and the back of the hands and fingers for at least 15 to 20 seconds. If soap is not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control produced a poster detailing effective handwashing.

Avoid close contact with someone who is ill. (Maintain a distance of at least 1.8 meters). Stay at home if you are sick. Use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose if you cough or sneeze and dispose of it properly afterwards.

Disinfect surfaces and objects you touch frequently. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) does not recommend that healthy people wear a face mask.

What extra precautions should COPD patients take?

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should take appropriate preventive measures as they are at a higher risk of having a more severe infection than others.

In addition to the general preventive measures listed above patients should:

• Stock up on necessary medications and supplies that can last for a few weeks.
• Avoid crowds and non-essential travel.
• Stay at home as much as possible.

Most patients with respiratory diseases will recover from COVID-19. If symptoms of a viral infection appear and patients have travelled to a high-risk area in the past 40 days, they should self-isolate at home for 14 days. They should maintain their daily care regimens and speak to their healthcare providers for any specific queries about their personal health.

Advice for family members and caregivers

Family members and caregivers of people with chronic diseases should take appropriate precautions and take extra care to avoid bringing COVID-19 home. They should constantly monitor patients and stock medicines and other necessary supplies that can last for several weeks. Storing extra non-perishable food can help minimize trips to the grocery store.

People who show symptoms of COVID-19 should avoid visiting their family members until the self-isolation period is complete.

What should sick individuals do?

If symptoms are present and a COVID-19 diagnosis is confirmed, patients should follow these steps to prevent the spread of the infection:

• Stay at home, preferably in a separate room not shared with others, and isolate themselves, with the exception of getting medical care.
• Avoid public areas and public transport.
• Limit contact with pets and animals.
• Avoid sharing personal items.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with tissues and dispose of them properly.
• Sanitize hands regularly. 
• Disinfect surfaces such as phones, keyboards, toilets, and tables.

People should call ahead before visiting the hospital for an appointment. This way, the hospital can take necessary steps to prevent the spread of the infection.

Patients who have confirmed COVID-19 should wear face masks when going out. The WHO’s website has a resource explaining the proper use of a face mask. 

What tests are available?  

The CDC has developed a diagnostic panel that is available to CDC-qualified laboratories in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved this test but has made it available under a special emergency use authorization.

Apart from the tests that the CDC made available, researchers are continuously developing new tests. One such recently available test is the Cobas SARS-CoV-2 test that Roche Diagnostics developed. The FDA issued an emergency use authorization to the Cobas test too. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is funding the development of two other diagnostic tests that can detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 within one hour.

Samples for initial diagnostic testing include swabs from the upper respiratory tract such as the nose and throat and, if obtainable, from the lower respiratory tract such as the sputum.

A positive test result means infection with SARS-CoV-2 is confirmed. In such a situation, doctors place the patient under isolation. While a negative test indicates the absence of the virus, there is still a likelihood of false negatives, especially in the early stages of infection, where the number of viruses is too low to be detectable. A negative test in a person who clearly shows COVID-19-like symptoms mostly indicates that SARS-CoV-2 is not the cause of his or her illness.

Is there a treatment?

There are currently no vaccines available for human coronaviruses including COVID-19. This makes the prevention and containment of the virus very important.

Oxygen therapy is the major treatment intervention for patients with severe disease. Mechanical ventilation may be necessary in cases of respiratory failure.

Are there new treatments being developed?

The first clinical trial of a possible treatment for COVID-19 has begun in the U.S. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is sponsoring a randomized, controlled Phase 2 trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the broad-spectrum anti-viral treatment redeliver by Gilead Sciences to treat the disease.

Other treatments being investigated for COVID-19 include a novel mRNA-1273 nanoparticle-encapsulated vaccine (NCT04283461), thalidomide (NCT04273581), sildenafil (NCT04304313), eculizumab (NCT04288713), recombinant human interferon-alpha 1 beta (NCT04293887), bevacizumab (NCT04305106), and antibodies from cured patients (NCT04264858), among others.

A complete list of all ongoing clinical trials pertaining to COVID-19 is available here.

Researchers are also looking at new synthetic biology approaches by using self-assembling nanoparticles coated with viral antigens that can precisely target SARS-CoV-2. This approach can potentially overcome some of the limitations of conventional vaccines such as short shelf-life and viral evolution.

CPAPstore.eu provides strictly news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

source: https://copdnewstoday.com/information-about-covid-19-for-copd-patients/

There are three main types of sleep apnoea:

• Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
• Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA)
• Mixed sleep apnoea

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is the most common type of sleep apnoea, making up 84% of sleep apnoea diagnoses.¹

In most cases of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, air stops flowing to the lungs because of a blockage (or obstruction) in the upper airway-that is, in the nose or throat.

The upper airway could become blocked due to:

• The muscles relaxing too much during sleep, which blocks sufficient air from getting through*
• The weight of your neck narrowing the airway
• Inflamed tonsils, or other temporary reasons
• Structural reasons, like the shape of the nose, neck or jaw

Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA)

Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA) is rare in general,¹ and can be caused by certain drug therapies used in pain management, such as opioids, as well as heart failure, or a disease or injury involving the brain, such as:

• Stroke
• Brain tumor
• Viral brain infection
• Chronic respiratory disease

In cases of CSA the airway is actually open but air stops flowing to the lungs because no effort is made to breathe. This is basically because the communication between the brain and the body has been lost, so the automatic action of breathing stops.

Those with CSA don’t often snore, so the condition sometimes goes unnoticed.

Noticeably, in case of heart failure, CSA is very frequent, with up to 1 patient over 4 being affected.² CSA also has a specific pattern in Heart Failure, known as Cheyne-Stokes Respiration (CSR). 

People with CSR have an abnormal, cyclic pattern of breathing that alternates deeper and sometimes faster breathing with a temporary stop in breathing (apnoea).

Together, Central Sleep Apnoea and Cheyne-Stokes respiration are known as CSA-CSR, which occurs in 30 to 50% of people with heart failure.¹

Mixed sleep apnoea

This is a combination of both OSA (where there is a blockage or obstruction in the upper airway) and CSA (where no effort is made to breathe). Your doctor can help you understand more about this if you need to.

If you have any concerns that you may have any type of sleep apnoea, please consult your doctor.

How Alcohol Affects Sleep Apnea and Snoring by Relaxing Airway Muscles

Understanding Why Drinking Alcohol and Sleep Apnea Don’t Mix

Pressure, Ramp Up What Does this features Means?

Comfort Setting May Reduce Mask Leak and Ease Insomnia

If you use continuous or bilevel positive airway pressure (PAP) to treat your obstructive sleep apnea, you may wonder: What does the ramp up feature mean on a CPAP or BiPAP machine? Learn how this feature can reduce your starting pressure to improve your ability to fall asleep and why it may undermine your treatment if used excessively. Consider reasons why the ramp may be overused, such as may occur with mask leak or insomnia.

Discover how to set your ramp and what to do if you find you need it too much.

What Is a Ramp on CPAP?

Most modern CPAP or bilevel machines have a comfort setting called a ramp. As the word implies, it allows the machine to start at a lower pressure and then gradually to increase the pressure over a set period of time. The beginning of the ramp, with a lower pressure, may make it easier to fall asleep. Once you have fallen asleep, the pressure can be increased to the range that is needed to keep your upper airway from collapsing during sleep.

How Is the Ramp Set on CPAP?

There are multiple PAP machine models available from distinct manufacturers and various iterations over the past decades. Not all have a ramp feature, and the ability to access it will vary based on the model. It may be easiest to review your device’s manual or to speak with your durable medical equipment provider or sleep specialist to access the setting.

There are two variables to consider in the ramp setting. First, the starting pressure should be comfortable. It is generally lower than the pressure that may be required later to support your breathing once you’ve fallen asleep. The lowest possible ramp setting is 4 centimeters of water pressure (CWP). If it is set too low, you may struggle to get enough air and may request that it be turned up.

Second, the duration of this starting pressure will vary in 5-minute intervals from zero (if off) to 45 minutes. This duration should be slightly longer than the average amount of time it takes you to fall asleep. If you feel the pressure becoming stronger, your ramp is likely too short. In addition, newer devices may have an automatic ramp feature that detects changes in the regularity of your breathing with the onset of sleep as an indicator that the pressure can be turned up.

How to Use a CPAP Ramp and Problems When It Is Overused

It is advised to use your ramp to help ease yourself into sleep without having to contend with an uncomfortable pressure. Once the ramp ends, the device will increase to your lowest therapeutic pressure (which may be either fixed or further adjusted during the night as needed with an AutoCPAP or Autobilevel machine).

If you wake in the night and the pressure has become uncomfortably high, it is possible to reset the ramp and allow the pressure to be lowered again. This may be desirable if you have awakened for any reason, including to urinate. It may also be helpful if your mask has started to leak excessively and has become disruptive due to noise or the discomfort of the air flow. This will allow you time to fall back asleep at a lower, more comfortable pressure.

It is possible to overuse your ramp and this can cause some problems. When reviewing your usage data, your sleep specialist may note multiple ramp resets throughout the night.

This might suggest the presence of excessive mask leak, pressure levels that are too high, or coexisting insomnia. Repeated resets of the ramp can reduce the effectiveness of therapy. If you require a pressure of 10 CWP to support your breathing, and you consistently reset your ramp to 4 CWP for 45-minute intervals through the night, you will have long stretches when your sleep apnea is not adequately treated.

For those who are needing to repeatedly reset the ramp, think about the underlying cause. If you are waking to urinate, or due to mask leak, address these underlying problems. You may benefit from a mask fitting to explore a new option. In some cases, it may be necessary to switch to bilevel therapy, as this treatment can make it more comfortable to breathe both in and out.

Speak with your equipment provider or a sleep specialist if you need additional assistance in optimizing the settings of the ramp on your PAP machine.

Preparing for your sleep study

For the most part, to get the best results out of your sleep study, technicians want you to go about your usual evening routine as much as possible. However, there are
However, there are a certain thing you can do to make the study go more smoothly, and still garner the most accurate results.

What to bring

• If you take any regularly prescribed medications according to your physician’s instructions it is suggested to take them with you.
• Bring sleeping clothes such as pajamas or shorts and a t-shirt. Although your comfort is very important, most clinics prefer you not to sleep naked the night of the study.
• It is not necessary but if you desire you may bring your favorite pillow or blanket if desired.
• Bring any other specialty items you may need for sleep or will need first thing in the morning such as toiletries, toothpaste, toothbrush, hair dryer, etc.

What to do before arriving for the study

• Try to avoid naps during the day so that going to sleep will be easier during your study.
• Wash and dry your hair before going to the clinic. Do not apply sprays, conditioners, gels, or oils to your hair. There are a number of electrodes that will be administered and these substances can adhering equipment difficult.
• Remove nail polish from index fingers. You will be wearing a pulse oximeter on one index finger.
• Have your evening meal prior to showing up for your study.
• Try and avoid eating or drinking anything with caffeine a few hours before your study. If possible, avoid caffeine after your lunch.
• Have all paperwork given ahead of time filled out?
• Notify the sleep clinic if you need to come in early or show up later so that you can better be accommodated.
• Let the clinic know ahead of time if you have any special needs (e.g. trouble getting in/out of bed, anyphysical limitations, nocturnal enuresis, impairments, etc.).

What to do upon arrival and what to expect

• Notify your sleep tech of any prescription medications and recreational drugs you take (be as honest as possible for best results).
• If your physician prescribes a sleep aid for the night of the study, ask the technologist when to take it.
• You’re going to be hooked up to a lot of monitoring equipment that takes about an hour to apply. Please be patient and take direction from your technologist.
• Sleeping with a lot of equipment on can be a little uncomfortable, but your technologist will do everything they can to make you as comfortable as possible.
• Your technologist will administer the study from another room, but you will have an intercom next to your bed if you need to contact them anytime during the study.
• For more information on the procedures and equipment used in a sleep study click here.
• Your results will not be ready the following day. Both the technologist and the sleep physician will need to interpret the study’s data.

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale

Everything you need to Know About Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea also referred to as sleep apnoea, is a common sleep disorder. It’s characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep.

These episodes, called apneas, last 10 seconds or more and occur repeatedly throughout the night. People with sleep apnea partially awaken as they struggle to breathe, but in the morning they may not be aware of the disturbances in their sleep.

The most common type of sleep apnea is Obstructive Sleep Apnea, caused by relaxation of soft tissue in the back of the throat that blocks the passage of air. Central Sleep Apnea is caused by irregularities in the brain’s normal signals to breathe.

Some people with sleep apnea have a combination of both types.

What causes sleep apnea?

In the case of central sleep apnea, it happens when the brain fails to send signals to the respiratory muscles. This is most common in babies, and in adults with heart problems, but can also be caused by some medicines.
In obstructive sleep apnea, the message from the brain to the respiratory muscles gets through but breathing fails through an obstruction preventing the flow of air.
Mixed sleep apnea is caused by a combination of these failures.

Obstructive sleep apnea affects more men than women, and is more common and has increased severity in obese people.

What are the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea?

OSA is more common in men than women and in people who are overweight or obese. Here are some symptoms to look for if you suspect you are suffering from this disorder.

• Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
• Restless Sleep
• Loud Snoring, with Periods Of Silence Followed By Gasps
• Falling Asleep During The Day
• Morning Headaches
• Trouble Concentrating
• Irritability
• Forgetfulness
• Mood or Behavior Changes
• Weight Gain
• Increased Heart Rate
• Anxiety
• Depression

How is to treat obstructive sleep apnea!

There are several non-surgical options varying from behavioral changes to medications and dental appliances.

Behavioral changes may simply involve getting the sufferer to change their sleeping position, as most apneas seem to occur whilst sleeping on the back. A change in diet and lifestyle with a consequent reduction in obesity can also markedly reduce the severity of symptoms. However, these changes are easier to talk about than to implement.
Dental appliances are sometimes used for mild cases of obstructive sleep apnea – these work by holding the jaw and tongue forward and the palate up to prevent airway closure.
One of the best non-surgical treatments is called auto CPAP or continuous positive airway pressure. This is a machine which delivers heated and humidified air under pressure through a mask to the sufferer whilst they sleep. The machine is light and portable, and most people quickly get used to the noise the machine makes, and to wearing a mask.

Surgical options for obstructive sleep apnea include palate implants, reducing the size of the tongue, procedures on the jaws, and surgery of the nasal passages. Surgery should not be undertaken lightly because of the underlying risks of anesthesia and complications from the surgery itself.

If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea or know anyone who does, then it is important that you seek qualified medical advice as soon as possible. Continuing your life without recourse to treatment leaves you open to the much higher risk of heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and even sudden death.Seek specialist help today.