CPAP and COPD & Sleep Apnea

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CPAP and COPD & Sleep Apnea

We had a brief talk about the connection between COPD and sleep last month. Actually, about 50 percent of people with COPD suffer from sleep disorders or conditions that prevent a restful sleep. Among of the disorders, one is Obstructive Sleep Apnea, called OSA. It is a disorder that causes our body to stop breathing while we sleep, from a few seconds to a minute. It's caused when tissues in the upper airway become too relaxed, thus blocking the airway. These episodes are ended by the person waking up slightly to an audible grunt or snore. A typical person may have 30 or more such episodes each night.

During the episodes, the oxygen levels drop, it will rise to the normal levels, but as with COPD may result in chronically lowered oxygen levels, these may drop to critical levels while sleeping. Lower oxygen levels then cause blood vessels to constrict, and the heart rate to work harder to pump blood through the lungs in search of more oxygen that is not there. Over time, this may cause heart failure or even death.

For the treatment, Some patients may benefit from wearing an oral appliance to keep the airway open at night. Others may benefit from CPAP at night. This involves wearing a mask that supplies pressures during exhalation to keep the airway open. If these treatments don’t work, surgery is another option. The latter way is the most common treatment for sleep apnea, and it may also provide benefits to those with COPD. By restoring your blood oxygen levels at night, CPAP can actually slow down the inflammatory processes of COPD that damage your lungs. What’s more, using a CPAP machine may reduce the amount of work your breathing muscles need to do on their own. It also can prevent your lungs from overinflating. This is a common occurrence in people with COPD that makes breathing more difficult. As a result of using CPAP, you might be able to walk more or otherwise be more active during the day. This makes your life easier, and it can also improve your lungs and overall health.

So when you suffer from the COPD and you have the symptoms below, pls talk with your doctor and see whether the CPAP machines are ok for you or not.

• Daytime sleepiness
• Loud, chronic snoring, especially with pauses in breathing
• Choking or gasping during the night
• Morning headaches, dry mouth, or sore throat
•  Mood swings or personality changes

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