Provent is featured in the October-November 2012 issue of Respiratory Therapy. The informative article offers healthcare providers and patients an overview of nasal expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) – an important new class of therapy to safely treat sleep-disordered breathing, ranging from primary snoring to all severities of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Nasal EPAP for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (Provent) and Snoring (Theravent)

Provent invites you to view Dr. Glenn D. Adams’ Provent Industry Product Theater presentation “Nasal EPAP Therapy and In-Lab Polysomnography: A Clinical Practice Perspective” from SLEEP 2012.

As a solo practitioner at Sleep Medicine Specialists in Florida, Dr. Adams diagnoses 800 new OSA patients a year. He started prescribing Provent Therapy in September 2009. Today, Provent is offered to all his OSA patients, including compliant CPAP users as well as CPAP failures.

The video provides valuable insight into his patient protocol to ensure patient buy-in and successful acclimation of Provent Therapy.

In this video, Dr. Ronald A. Popper shows why some people benefit from wearing a chin strap with Provent. Dr. Popper explains why a “home made” chin strap could be more effective in enhancing AHI reduction results in patients with OSA using Provent.

by Ronald A. Popper, MD

Having Trouble Acclimating to Provent Therapy?

Here are some helpful tips for successfully using Provent Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Prior to applying Provent, make sure all makeup is removed and your face is thoroughly washed so all of your facial oils have been removed. This will assure that the adhesive provides complete occlusion of your nostrils. Provent will not work properly if air can escape around the bandage.

Use a mirror while applying Provent for the best results. Angle the valve in the same direction as your nostril. Pull your upper lip down with your lower lip. Place the valve into one nostril. Gently pat the adhesive around your nostril. The tab should be on the outside of your nose. Repeat the same procedure for the other nostril. When you think you have secured each Provent properly, test for air leakage by gently exhaling through your nostrils and feeling for the escape of air. If there is no air leak, you have properly applied Provent. If air escapes, press down on all sides of the adhesive until no air escapes.

Remember, Provent works by making it harder to exhale through you nose. This is what creates the positive airway pressure required to successfully treat your sleep apnea. It should be harder to exhale through your nose while you are awake. If it is uncomfortable, take a few breaths through your mouth to relieve the pressure you are feeling. Then go back to slowly inhaling and exhaling trough your nose. Do not try to forcibly exhale…you should be able to slowly exhale with minimal extra effort, although you will feel the pressure from the Provent.

Rest assured that if you are able to breath in and out through your nostrils while awake, it is natural for you to do so once you fall asleep, even with the extra effort required while wearing Provent. If you are a mouth breather while awake, you are may also be a mouth breather during sleep and require a chinstrap to keep your mouth closed. If you open your mouth while asleep and using Provent, it will not work, as the positive pressure will simply escape through your mouth.

It may take a few nights of using Provent to acclimate to the pressure sensation. Do not give up after just one night. If you cannot wear it the whole night, take it off and try again the next night. Most patients will acclimate to the increased effort to exhale within 2-3 nights. Some patient may require up to 2 weeks. Each night should become easier, allowing longer wear times until you are finally wearing Provent all night.

by Ronald A. Popper, MD

Provent Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea is an exciting alternative to traditional CPAP therapies for those who won’t use or can’t tolerate them.

OSA is a serious medical condition characterized by repetitive episodes of blockage of the airflow to the lungs during sleep. This is caused by the complete collapse of the airway and stoppage of airflow (known as apnea) or a reduction of airflow caused by a partial collapse of the airway (known as hypopnea). These breathing interruptions can cause a person to momentarily wake in order to resume normal breathing. For many sufferers this can happen dozens of times during the night and greatly affect the quality of sleep. OSA has been associated with a wide range of other health issues such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and stroke. Fortunately, successful treatment of OSA has been shown to reduce the risk of developing these associated health issues.

Provent^® Sleep Apnea Therapy utilizes small, single-use adhesive devices that attach to the nostrils, providing an effective, FDA-cleared, nonsurgical treatment to reduce the effects of OSA. Provent Sleep Apnea Therapy has shown to be both SAFE and EFFECTIVE in 10 different clinical trials involving more than 750 people with OSA. Trial results have been published in international peer-reviewed journals including the medical journal Sleep. Provent Sleep Apnea Therapy is currently commercially available in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Canada.

In the months ahead, this blog will offer insight and experience from sleep physicians and healthcare professionals involved in sleep-disordered breathing, as well as patients who are benefiting from this technology. So check back often and join in the conversations.