With so many serious health risks to consider, it’s easy to discount the social and personal consequences of untreated sleep apnea. But sleep apnea doesn’t just mess up your body — it messes up your entire life. That’s why respiratory supplies are so important.

Many sleep apnea patients experience several apneas (lapses in breathing) every night, even if they don’t remember them in the morning. And, as you might expect, interruptions in sleep can leave sleep apnea patients exhausted during the daytime, affecting both mood and level and productivity. It could cost you a promotion, or even a relationship.

How? The irritability, apathy, and lethargy associated with sleep apnea are socially isolating and can wreak havoc on personal relationships. These changes in mood are medical symptoms, but friends and loved ones do not always appreciate them as such. Worse, the daytime drowsiness caused by sleep apnea and other disorders is a leading contributor to car accidents and fatalities.

To avoid these detrimental effects, doctors recommend respiratory supplies like CPAP machines and masks to keep the airway open, thus preventing apneas and allowing for a good night’s sleep.

Sleep apnea patients have come to expect great things from Fisher & Paykel respiratory supplies, and the SleepStyle 608 does not disappoint. This CPAP machine features a built-in humidifier with state-of-the-art technology, allowing patients to receive optimum levels of both moisture and heat.

How does it work? The SleepStyle 608 is designed with special heated tubing to prevent the loss of heat and moisture as air travels from machine to mask. Standard tubing allows condensation to build up, thus decreasing the level of humidity that the patient receives.

This technology is especially useful for patients experiencing mouth leaks, which can lead to dryness, irritation, and pain relating to increased resistance in the nasal airway. Fortunately, the SleepStyle 608′s special heated tubing actually prevents nasal resistance, so that patients can sleep comfortably, even during mouth leaks.

Respironics Comfort Full 2 Full Face CPAP Mask
This mask lives up to its name, providing full face coverage without sacrificing comfort. The product is lightweight and forms a solid seal, affording patients who breathe through the mouth the best in CPAP care.

Simplicity Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
This compact nasal mask touches to top of the nose – not the bridge – so that patients can wear glasses while using CPAP respiratory supplies. But even patients without glasses will enjoy this product’s convenient size and high level of comfort.

Total CPAP Face Mask with Headgear
Compatible with both bi-level and CPAP machines, this mask provides a noninvasive alternative to other styles. It’s ideal for patients that have experienced skin irritation or had trouble forming a seal with nasal masks, in addition to claustrophobic patients. As a full face mask, this product does not create painful pressure points, and its flexible seal promotes prime airflow while reducing leaks.

A lot of us are familiar with dropping off prescriptions at the local pharmacy counter, but what about dropping them off online? All BiPAP and CPAP machines are federally regulated so that they can only be sold to patients with valid prescriptions, and www.VentureResp.com makes it easier than ever to provide this information on the computer.

In fact, patients can provide their prescription info in three different ways:

Email: To transfer your doctor’s prescription via email, all you have to do is send a message to rx@ventureresp.com.

Fax: More into dialing? You can fax your prescription to 718-871-7515.

Let Us Call You: Select “Contact me about my Rx” on a product page, and we’ll use the contact information you provide during checkout to communicate with you about your CPAP prescription.

Plus, once you provide us with your prescription, you’ll never have to do it again for refills. Indicate “My Rx is already on file” when shopping for respiratory supplies, and we’ll find your information on our database instead of asking you to send in repeat information.

Even the best CPAP machines and masks can suffer when assembled with inadequate tubing. If you’re looking for new CPAP tubing, it’s important to consider several factors:

Weight: Lightweight tubing is obviously advantageous to sleep apnea patients on the go, but infrequent travelers can benefit from light tubing as well. This is because heavy tubing can actually break your CPAP mask’s seal as you sleep, hindering its effectiveness.

Length: CPAP tubing is available in a variety of sizes, including 6-, 9-, and 10-foot hoses. Again, shorter tubes will be better for travelers, however sleep apnea patients with loud or bulky machines might prefer longer hoses to better distance themselves from their devices.

Flexibility: Sleep apnea patients rely on their CPAP machines every night, which means rigid, difficult tubing gets old fast. Investing in flexible tubing will make setting up your machine easier and prevent discomfort during sleep.

Compatibility: In a perfect world, every CPAP tubing product would be compatible with every CPAP machine and mask, however this is not always the case. Select models are, however, universally compatible with CPAP respiratory supplies.

CPAP machines require very little maintenance, but one responsibility you can’t ignore is taking care of your CPAP filters. These filters prevent dust and other impure particles from entering your machine, improving both your breathing and the function of the machine. Thus, it’s important to regularly clean and replace your CPAP filters. You can find your filters at the back of your CPAP machine next to the air intake.

Some respiratory supplies rely on foam filters, while others use a combination of foam and paper. Paper filters are disposable and designed to block allergens and other small impurities, allowing sleep apnea patients with sinus or allergy problems a better night’s sleep. If your machine uses both foam and paper filters, the foam should be on the outside to filter bigger particles before they can reach the paper. Paper filters should be oriented with their smoother sides facing in.

Cleaning: Foam filters are reusable and should be washed whenever they become discolored, which could be as frequently as once a week. Alternatively, paper filters are disposable, so you should throw them out once discoloration begins.

Replacing: Like sponges, foam filters for respiratory supplies will deteriorate after extended use, and you should replace them as soon as this process begins. If your paper filters are not discolored after 30 days, replace them anyway.

If you’ve been searching for respiratory supplies, you might have noticed the huge selection of CPAP machines and masks available for sale. Sleep apnea patients have more CPAP products to choose from than ever before, accommodating their different needs and preferences.

Let’s take a look at some of the common types of CPAP masks:

Triangular CPAP Masks: These masks fit over the nose and are secured by straps that stretch around the back of the head. Triangular masks are popular for patients that breathe through the nose.

Oral CPAP Masks: For mouth breathers, oral masks are usually a better option. Breathing with your mouth is more likely to irritate the nasal passages and throat, so most of these masks should be used with heated humidifiers.

Nasal Pillow CPAP Masks: Ideal for sleep apnea patients who sleep on their sides, nasal pillow masks feature two tubes that wearers insert into the nostrils. These tubes continue over the patient’s hair, which means side sleeping will not interrupt the fit.

Finding the right respiratory supplies is very important, since CPAP masks and machines require a tight fit to maintain the necessary pressure. At the same time, CPAP masks that are too tight might cause pain and irritation.