COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is often caused by smoking tobacco products, receiving second hand smoke, and sometimes pollution. COPD causes oxygen levels to drop and creates a chain reaction of respiratory and cardiovascular health problems. COPD can be difficult to manage and even deadly. If you suffer from COPD and have just found out that you’re experiencing sleep apnea, here are some things you should know.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep Apnea is a condition that health care officials consider a “Sleep Disordered Breathing” condition. Sleep apnea results in hundreds of short moments during the night where a person stops breathing for seconds to minutes at a time. Sleep apnea is known for causing snoring but has much more serious implications. Untreated sleep apnea can result in high blood pressure, renal disease, and diabetes.
Overlap Syndrome
Though they both affect the respiratory system, it is unlikely that COPD and sleep apnea cause one another. Still, they frequently do occur at the same time, and, when this happens, we call it “overlap syndrome.”
Overlap syndrome is concerning to health care practitioners because both COPD and Sleep Apnea cause a person to become deprived of normal oxygen levels for long periods of time. Separate from one another, these medical conditions cause negative changes all across the body, ultimately resulting in the development of high blood pressure and stroke. Overlap Syndrome is thought by many researchers to amplify or increase the risks of these developments.
CPAP Therapy as Part of Overlap Syndrome Care
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP therapy, is the recommended treatment for persons with Overlap Syndrome. CPAP therapy is delivered via a machine and a sleep apnea mask using forced air to keep the windpipe open overnight. CPAP therapy is shown to reduce the risk of developing the grave consequences of both COPD and Sleep Apnea.
If you have COPD, your health care practitioner may have recommended that you be careful not to give yourself “too much” at home oxygen therapy to prevent accidentally causing“hypoxic drive.” Hypoxic drive occurs when COPD patients take in an unnecessary level of oxygen resulting in further breathing difficulties. The good news for COPD sufferers is that there are no studies showing a risk of developing this condition after CPAP use.
Use Quality CPAP Equipment to Treat Your Sleep Apnea
Talk to your physician about their recommendations for your individual sleep apnea treatment and CPAP mask styles. Purchase your CPAP system from a reliable retailer who is invested in your respiratory health. Breatheeasycpap.com is an example of an upstanding CPAP supply company whose mission has always been to put you and your health first.
The nurses, respiratory therapists, and doctors in charge of their online storefront make careful choices in selecting cost effective and quality conscious sleep apnea treatment products. Don’t delay beginning treatment, if you’re managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and sleep apnea at the same time, using a CPAP machine can, without question, save your life.
