Do you want to know the hazards of skipping CPAP? There is a comprehensive research about the dangers of skipping CPAP even for one night.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a treatment for respiratory insufficiency or insufficient airflow in the lungs. Many patients with sleep-disordered breathing use CPAP but some patients stop using it. Doctors recommend that these patients use a CPAP machine at bedtime to prevent complications.
Sleep apnea is a long-term risk factor due to skipping CPAP that affects people. 1 CPAP skipping even one night can be bad for your health. Even a poor night’s sleep can affect your health. It takes time to get used to sleeping with CPAP. 3 Instead of not using it fix the problem that makes you uncomfortable. One of the best ways to avoid this is to use a CPAP machine.
Dangers of skipping CPAP
Skipping CPAP can lead to serious problems. Here are some of the dangers caused by CPAP. Read the article to grab the information.
Respiratory insufficiency
CPAP patients have to be aware of the risks of respiratory insufficiency. If you skip CPAP treatment you may find that your breathing is affected both at night and during the day. Respiratory insufficiency occurs when a patient stops using CPAP. Some of the symptoms of respiratory insufficiency are difficulty breathing during sleep and increased carbon dioxide levels in the blood.
When respiratory insufficiency occurs, doctors recommend that CPAP users start using their machines again. However, some of its users stop using their machines even when they should. This is because stopping CPAP use causes only minor respiratory problems. 2
Heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Healthy lung function is essential for preventing diseases like heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Stopping CPAP use can make patients more susceptible to these diseases. Additionally, stopping CPAP use makes it harder to treat other conditions like lung cancer and tuberculosis. In these instances stopping CPAP use can make things worse for the patient.
Affect the sleep
Skipping treatment can not only affect your sleep but also make you feel uncomfortable throughout the day. Many doctors recommend starting CPAP therapy for patients with sleep-disordered breathing. 2
Factors that affect the CPAP
The most common reason that may induce someone to skip treatment is inconvenience. In some cases, it may be difficult to continue CPAP therapy. Some patients stop using their machines despite health risks. Starting these therapy costs more than buying an additional machine so some patients choose cheaper solutions like a sleep mask instead of CPAP therapy. However, starting CPAP therapy has many benefits including better sleep and increased lung capacity. Therefore, starting CPAP therapy is recommended even if the patient stops using it later on. 4
Conclusion
Starting CPAP therapy again has many benefits. Skipping CPAP treatment lead to serious health problems. Therefore, doctors still recommend starting CPAP therapy. Hope this article helps explore the CPAP impact.
Reference
- Weaver, T. E. (2019). Novel aspects of CPAP treatment and interventions to improve CPAP adherence. Journal of clinical medicine, 8(12), 2220.
- Kribbs, N. B., Pack, A. I., Kline, L. R., Getsy, J. E., Schuett, J. S., Henry, J. N., … & Dinges, D. F. (1993). Effects of one night without nasal CPAP treatment on sleep and sleepiness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Am Rev Respir Dis, 147(5), 1162-1168.
- Aloia, M. S., Ilniczky, N., Di Dio, P., Perlis, M. L., Greenblatt, D. W., & Giles, D. E. (2003). Neuropsychological changes and treatment compliance in older adults with sleep apnea. Journal of psychosomatic research, 54(1), 71-76.
- Gabryelska, A., Sochal, M., Wasik, B., Szczepanowski, P., & Białasiewicz, P. (2021). Factors Affecting Long-Term Compliance of CPAP Treatment-A Single Centre Experience. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(1), 139.