Abstract
Over a period of 1 year we observed in our sleep laboratory in 502 patients with sleep related breathing disorders several side effects of positive airway pressure treatment, furthermore we observed in 5 patients unexpected dangerous complications due to the application of CPAP and BIPAP. We observed mask leakages which lead to insufficient positive airway pressure-therapy and an occurrence of short central apnoeas during NREM sleep after arousal or wakefulness periods. Finally we observed in 5 patients during treatment with CPAP and BIPAP an unexpected appearance of long central apnoeas up to 110 s and central hypoventilations up to 5 min accompanied by excessive hypoxaemia (SaO2 < 20%) and cardiac arrhythmias. We conclude that in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoeas we have to expect in 1-2% complications of the positive airway pressure treatment itself. To avoid life endangered complications the first night application should be done only in conventional sleep laboratories.
| Translated title of the contribution | Risks and complications during positive airway pressure treatment of obstructive sleep apnea |
|---|---|
| Original language | German |
| Pages (from-to) | 190-194 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Pneumologie |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue number | SUPPL. 1 |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1995 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine