A recent study conducted by Siva Ramachandran, MD, of the Sleep Wellness Center of Pottstown, Pennsylvania found out that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can be deadly if not treated on time. It was also discovered that 51 patients (80 percent) used CPAP for more than four hours per night.
“Our study shows that a model of care based on education, intense follow up, close attention to masks and open access to an AASM accredited sleep center resulted in dramatic compliance data that was at least 10 percentage points higher than the national average of approximately 70 percent,” said Ramachandran.
“Patient demographics, severity of disease or extent of daytime sleepiness did not influence CPAP usage. This study was particularly important as it was done in a community setting with resources exclusively provided from the center, and all patients had objective CPAP compliance data that was downloadable from their compliance card. Such data could also be tracked in follow up visits to initiate programs in the future to sustain and improve compliance further.”
