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CPAP trial

Whakamātaunga (CPAP)

You're being offered a trial of CPAP therapy. CPAP is a machine that treats obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure.

Normally when you go to sleep, your throat muscles hold your airway open. If you have OSA, your throat muscles relax too much when you're asleep. This causes pauses in your breathing. Often people aren't aware that this happens.

Untreated OSA can affect your long-term health. It can cause problems with blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, stroke and heart failure.

How CPAP can improve your sleep

A CPAP machine blows air through your nose (or nose and mouth) into your throat area. The airflow supports your throat muscles and keeps your airway open. This prevents the pauses in your breathing and helps you sleep better. Sleeping better stops you feeling as tired through the day and improves your overall health.

CPAP is only a treatment for OSA, not a cure. There is currently no cure for OSA. But losing weight and making some lifestyle changes may help to improve your OSA and quality of sleep.

Doing a CPAP Trial

You'll have an appointment at Christchurch Hospital's Sleep Health Services. Sleep Health Services will fit you with a mask and give you a CPAP machine to try for one month. Don't adjust the CPAP machine's air pressure yourself.
Sleep Health Services will make a second appointment for you. If you live outside Christchurch, they'll make other arrangements.
During your second appointment, Sleep Health Services will check how things are going. They may lend you a monitor to take home to measure your overnight oxygen levels. This will make sure your CPAP machine is working the best for you.
Once everything is stable, you'll be given a CPAP machine to use long term. You won't have to pay for the machine. If you aren't using your equipment, Sleep Health Services will ask for your machine to be returned.
In approximately 12 months, you'll have an appointment with the sleep nurse specialist. The nurse will review your CPAP therapy and discuss any problems you may be having. Sleep Health Services' engineer will check your machine and you'll get a replacement mask. If everything is going well at this point, Sleep Health Services will discharge you. You'll receive a CPAP care package that will include details of all your follow-up contacts.
The community provider, USL Medical will provide long-term follow-up. They'll replace your mask annually and support your ongoing CPAP use. Your general practice team will look after your health needs as usual. If any concerns arise, your general practice team will refer you back to Sleep Health Services. Your CPAP machine has a three-year warranty. If your machine needs servicing, contact USL for advice.
If you have more complex issues, you may receive long-term follow-up from Sleep Health Services.