CPAP therapy can improve couple's mental and physical health
 
NORTHBROOK, IL (USA) - Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for  the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) not only improves  patients' lives, it can improve the lives of their bed partners, says a  study published in the September issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed  journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP).

The study found that when patients with OSA were treated with CPAP, the  mental and physical health, and overall quality of life (QOL) of  patients and their bed partners significantly improved.

OSA  is a common disorder that is characterized by repetitive episodes of  upper airway closures during sleep that result in arousal from sleep  and can often lead to daytime sleepiness. CPAP prevents upper airway  closure, improving sleep quality and, subsequently, reducing daytime  sleepiness.

'Snoring and sleep apnea interfere with the quality of sleep of both the patient and the bed partner.

Many bed partners choose to sleep in separate rooms rather than endure  continuous sleepless nights caused by sleep apnea,' said lead author  James M. Parish, MD, FCCP, Chair, Division of Pulmonary Medicine and  Director, Sleep Disorders Center, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona.

'With  CPAP therapy, patients and their partners can experience restful nights  which can ultimately benefit them physically and mentally.'

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale examined the effects of  OSA on QOL in 54 pairs of patients and their regular bed partners and  the effects of CPAP therapy on QOL in both groups after six weeks of  patient treatment.

Patients and bed partners completed three pre- and post-treatment  questionnaires on their likelihood to fall asleep in routine  situations, their overall physical and mental QOL, and their QOL  specifically related to their experience with OSA.

Prior  to therapy, patients reported situational sleepiness more than the  national norm, and overall QOL was significantly lower than national  norms.

Initial bed partner scores were similar to national norms, except in  the category of bodily pain, which was below the expected norm.

After CPAP treatment, both patient and partner scores showed a decrease  in situational sleepiness and an increase in the majority of physical  and mental QOL categories, including vitality, social functioning, role  limitations due to physical health, and mental health.

In addition, QOL scores specific to OSA improved in both patients and bed partners.

'It is unclear why initial reports from bed partners indicated normal  QOL. It is possible that over time, patients and partners adapt to  their poor sleep and believe that it is normal or expected,' said Dr.  Parish.

'Patients,  as well as their bed partners, should not endure the effects of sleep  apnea but rather share the responsibility in seeking treatment for this  serious but manageable condition.'

Overall physical and mental QOL was categorized by physical  functioning, role limitations due to physical health (role-physical),  bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role  limitations due to emotional problems (role-emotional), and mental  health.

QOL  categories specific to OSA included daily functioning, social  interactions, emotional functioning, symptoms, and treatment-related  symptoms.

'When left untreated, sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can lead to  more serious conditions, including hypertension, heart disease, and  other cardiovascular complications,' said Udaya B. S. Prakash, MD,  FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians.

'Sleep  medicine has greatly improved in recent years with new methods for  diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. It is important for primary  care and specialty physicians to educate patients on the health effects  of sleep disorders and to inform them of the treatment options  available.'

CHEST is a peer-reviewed journal published by the ACCP. It is  available on-line each month at http://www.chestjournal.org. ACCP  represents more than 15,000 members who provide clinical, respiratory,  and cardiothoracic patient care in the United States and throughout the  world. ACCP's mission is to promote the prevention and treatment of  diseases of the chest through leadership, education, research, and  communication.

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