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Pioneering the Way in Nasal Pressure
Posted on: 2008-03-30 | by Sleep Center
Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee Pioneers the Way in Nasal CPAP Treatment
Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is one of the most widely used and effective treatments for obstructive sleep apnea. The Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee has teamed up with the national leader in the manufacturing and distribution of nasal CPAP equipment to lead the way in the area of nasal CPAP compliance monitoring. Respironics, Inc. has developed technology that allows sleep doctors to monitor a patient's progress on nasal CPAP at home remotely. A web-based monitoring system was designed, by which a patient's "CPAP data" is uploaded regularly via modem, and in some cases, via wireless card located in the CPAP unit. The "CPAP data" includes such information as nightly usage of nasal CPAP, whether mask leaks are occurring, and whether the patient is having residual stoppages of breathing on nasal CPAP. Prior to the development of the modem/wireless card technology, patients were able to present their "CPAP data" to their sleep doctors by way of a SmartCard - a credit card sized removable memory storage device located in the back of their CPAP unit. This data has been very helpful, but certain problems occurred such as the patient's failure to bring his or her SmartCard to office visits so that data could be downloaded, or "losing touch" with non-compliant patients who are not using nasal CPAP. The remote download system allows the sleep doctors at the Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee to continue to provide monitoring for their patients on nasal CPAP, and determine whether a patient needs "fine-tuning" or further treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. The Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee is one of the first sleep practices in the United States to use this technology. Since national research shows that one quarter to one third of patients on nasal CPAP have sub-par compliance, this pioneering technology should help the Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee to have superior compliance rates in their patients on nasal CPAP.
