Patients who have just been diagnosed with sleep apnea syndrome will often realize that there are several people around them who also suffer from the condition and sleep with a “machine”. When talking to these people, two comments regularly come to mind;
💬 “Oh, I’ve never been able to sleep in that, it’s not for me!”
💬 “Oh, this machine has changed my life! It’s like having a veil pulled over my eyes!”
How can we explain these contradictory statements about the same treatment?
Care and follow-up!
That’s precisely what La Clef du Sommeil is all about : being an ally, an expert to our customers and those around them, so that they can be informed, reassured and supported in their efforts to achieve restful sleep.
It’s easy to buy a CPAP, whether on the Internet or in a sleep clinic, but it’s just as easy to toss it in the back of the closet after a few nights… Too often, unfortunately, for lack of information, comfort, expert coaching or follow-up.
Before going any further, let’s take a look at how the severity of the diagnosis is determined.
The degree of severity of sleep apnea is calculated in terms of the number of events per hour, known as the apnea hypopnea index (AHI). The AHI is calculated by means of an ambulatory cardiorespiratory polygraph (home test) or polysomnography (sleep laboratory test), which measures breathing and the number of airway obstructions during each hour of sleep.
The AHI thus determines 3 levels of sleep apnea severity:
| Mild | This corresponds to respiratory events ranging from 5 to 15 per hour; |
| Moderate | For patients experiencing 15 to 30 respiratory events per hour; |
| Severe | This concerns patients with more than 30 respiratory events per hour. |
Normal values for a patient not suffering from sleep apnea syndrome are less than 5 respiratory incidents per hour.
Patients often call me after receiving their results to tell me they’ve been researching alternative treatments, because let’s face it, very few people want to sleep with a mask on their face! At least not at first… 😉
💬 “Mr. Inhalo, I’ve seen chin straps on the internet that stop snoring! That’s what I’m talking about!”
💬 “Mr. Inhalo, I saw an ad for strips that spread the nostrils so the air comes in better, do they work?”
💬 “Mr. Inhalo, I’ve seen the kind of tubes you put in the back of your nose at night to keep it from blocking air intake!”
I’d like to give a special mention to the famous nasopharyngeal cannulas! So handy for clearing the airways, but also the first thing that patients brought back to life in intensive care wards tear from their faces, because it’s as pleasant as stubbing your little toe on the corner of a table.
What I’m getting at is that you’re likely to see a multitude of gadgets and +/- appropriate solutions when you do your research, promising to treat sleep apnea syndrome. Fortunately, however, positive pressure ventilation is the treatment of choice, thanks to its comfort and effectiveness, regardless of the severity of the diagnosis. And yes… it’s more comfortable now than it was several years ago! This treatment has greatly improved over the years in terms of noise, comfort and the size of masks available.
By far the best treatment for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and it’s the only effective treatment for severe sleep apnea. This treatment involves wearing an adapted mask, connected to a device that generates positive pressure, the so-called CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). This device continuously pushes air into the upper airways, generating positive pressure to keep them open and prevent them from collapsing1. Rest assured, there are now a multitude of mask options available, allowing us to avoid the Darth Vader® mask hidden in the back of the drawer. The advantage of this treatment is that contraindications are rare and side effects are usually transient and minor. These side effects are notably linked to the comfort of the mask and straps (marks, redness, anxiety) and positive pressure (dry mouth, aerophagia, dry eyes). These effects can be minimized by appropriate readjustments and attentive care by your respiratory therapist, and this is precisely where La Clef du Sommeil inc. stands out.
Starting CPAP therapy can sometimes be confusing for patients, and it’s our duty to ensure that all our patients receive the right support and follow-up. During the CPAP acquisition meeting, the respiratory therapist will present the different models available and their particularities, so that the patient can choose the CPAP that suits him best. Medical literature shows that the success of CPAP therapy depends on the expertise of the attending physician and the quality of the sleep laboratory2-3. Poorly supervised patients are at risk of under-utilizing or abandoning their treatment, which could be wrongly attributed to a lack of motivation. For this reason, La Clef du Sommeil inc. respiratory therapists spend an average of 6 hours with the patient between the first diagnostic test and initiation of long-term CPAP treatment. What’s more, during the first 3 months of treatment, our patients can come and try on masks, meet their respiratory therapist when they have questions, or seek their expertise when things are a little more difficult. We understand that long-term compliance with treatment is around 554% in North America, and that dropouts usually occur within the first few months. Prompt intervention in case of problems during the first days and weeks of use increases therapeutic adherence. Patients who purchase their devices from us have access to these numerous follow-up services free of charge*.
Oh yes, by the way, our patient compliance rate is 92% after more than a year of use, and among the highest in Canada! Yes, sir, ma’am! 🏆
It’s not unusual for me to meet or chat with my patients on a weekly basis during these first few months, whether it’s to ask questions about mask fitting, adjusting the many comfort parameters available, or simply to take 5 minutes to reassure them that their treatment is working. Once again, it’s these rapid interventions, in the event of problems during the first days and weeks of use, that increase therapeutic adherence and enable us to be by far the reference for many doctors and specialists in the regions we serve.
1 Sullivan CE, Issa FG, Berthon-Jones M, Eves L. Reversal of obstructive sleep apnoea by continuous positive airway pressure.applied through the nares. Lancet 1981;1(8225):862-865.
2 Sullivan CE, Issa FG, Berthon-Jones M, Eves L. Reversal of obstructive sleep apnoea by continuous positive airway pressure. applied through the nares. Lancet 1981;1(8225):862-865.
3 Parthasarathy S, Haynes PL, Budhiraja R, Habib MP, Quan SF. A national survey of the effect of sleep medicine specialists
and American Academy of Sleep Medicine Accreditation on management of obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med 2006;2(2):133-142.
4 N. Wolkove, M. Baltzan, H. Kamel, R. Dabrusin, M. Palayew , Long-term compliance with continuous positive airway pressure in patients
with obstructive sleep apnea, Can Respir J. 2008 October; 15(7): 365-369
*Depending on package chosen at time of purchase
A sleep clinic that meets the highest standards in the profession and is a leader in its field. Our customer support and expertise set us apart. We work closely with physicians who recognize our skills.
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