Correct CPAP device important for treatment of sleep apnea: Doctors

New Delhi, June 8 (IANS) As 15-20 per cent children in Delhi's private schools suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a leading pulmonologist on Thursday urged people with the disorder to choose the correct CPAP device for its treatment for a good sleep.

P.P. Bose, pulmonologist at National Heart Institute, said that only a correct CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) device can ensure success for OSA's treatment as that is what delivers continuous positive airway pressure without leakage. The therapy uses a machine to help a person with OSA breathe more easily during sleep.

"It is of utmost importance that patients of OSA know about the masks CPAP uses for OSA treatment. It is of utmost importance that the mask is of proper size for the patients. Only a proper CPAP device increases air pressure in the throat so that the airway doesn't collapse when the patients breathe in," Bose said.

According to the doctors, if the patients do not have a proper fitting mask -- which are of various types like nasal mask, nasal pull mask, etc. -- then patients can have redness and rashes on their face.

"If you have no problem breathing through your nose wearing a mask, you should be able to use a nasal mask or a nasal pillow mask. For men with beard and moustache it can be difficult to obtain a complete seal with a nasal or a full face mask, hence a nasal pillow mask is suggested," said Bose.

Sleep apnea is caused by recurrent episodes of upper airway obstruction during sleep. Several risk factors, including obesity, male sex, age and heridity, have been associated with an increased prevalence of the condition.

OSA's proper treatment is important as according to an ongoing study by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), nearly 15 to 20 per cent of students in Delhi's private schools are suffering from OSA in comparison to only two per cent students in government schools.

The study, whose first phase has been completed with over 7,000 students being examined, is being funded by the Department of Science and Technology and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The age group examined as part of the study is 10-17 years.

"We are doing a study whose findings are very dramatic and it reveals that in the government schools we hardly see OSA. However, in private schools we see a huge presence of OSA in the students. It is an ongoing study and the data found in the first phase is so startling that we want to know the final results," said AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria.

"Students in private schools have a poor diet and lifestyle in comparison to students in government schools. Data also shows that government school students have more physical activities such as walking," Guleria told IANS.

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