CPAP Settings: Why and How They Are Determined

The majority of people who test positive for sleep apnea on their sleep apnea test will pursue CPAP therapy, which is the gold-standard treatment for the disorder. Is is critically important to find the proper pressure settings to fix the individual's case of sleep apnea. 

Why Is It Necessary to Have the Correct CPAP Pressure Settings?

In this interview, Dr. Krainin talks with Thomas Miller, General Manager of Breas' Sleep Business department. 

When I was first introduced to the Z1 it was under the HDM brand. What is the relationship between HDM and Breas?  

When I first became involved in 2016, Breas and HDM were both owned by a private equity company. They have since been purchased by Fosun Pharma and integrated into one company. HDM is the consumer-facing arm of the company and is currently being phased out.

Have you been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and are trying to find out how to cure it for good?

Trazodone is the most commonly prescribed medication for sleep despite not having an FDA indication for sleep. Trazodone is generic and very inexpensive so there is little incentive for pharmaceutical companies to do the drug trials necessary to get trazodone approved for sleep.

A large retrospective analysis conducted by The Mayo Clinic confirmed that people with sleep apnea are at a higher risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). The study that the following sleep study parameters were linked with an increased risk of SCD:

In many areas of the country and in several healthcare systems, sleep medicine is an underserved specialty meaning that there are not enough sleep labs and sleep doctors to care for the population. This problem is more acute in several urban and rural districts as well as the Veterans Health Affairs (VA) and Indian Health Services (IHS) systems. I’ve heard from many patients who’s local sleep center told them that they could not get in for a study for at least two months. This problem is typically even worse for pediatric sleep studies as the sleep center staff needs special training and expertise to conduct them; therefore, not every sleep center offers this service. It's not uncommon to have to wait three months or more to see a pediatric sleep specialist or have a pediatric sleep study.