Home
Course Details

CPAP Mask Fitting - No Disguises Allowed!

Benefits of CPAP for OSA depend on its effectiveness and patient compliance. Although nasal CPAP is still the most frequently used CPAP interface, yet there is an increasing trend in oronasal CPAP prescription. Strategies to develop personalized selection of interfaces is on the rise and will improve patient outcomes.

Description

Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) therapy (also referred to as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) or bi-level positive airway pressure) is frequently used to treat diagnosed forms of respiratory insufficiency and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Unfortunately, the most difficult part of PAP therapy is finding the right interface (also called “the mask”) and fitting it for each and every patient. Interface comfort is not a luxury, but rather a necessity for successful treatment using PAP therapy.

This course, CPAP Mask Fitting - No Disguises Allowed, discusses facial anatomy along with interface issues and thus how to help a patient become more compliant in their PAP therapy with the right mask. Many healthcare practitioners feel interface evolution lags far behind machine evolution. Better mask design and production remains an area of intense development and competition.

Objectives

Review the anatomy and physiology of the face as related to nasal and full-face masks.
Explain common mask fitting wisdom along with the problems and issues.
List the side effects of chronic use of CPAP facial masks.
Discuss how to choose the best mask.