Non-positive airway pressure therapy for obstructive sleep apnea

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder associated with cardiovascular morbidity. Various methods are offered to improve symptoms of OSA and its outcome. Although positive airway pressure is the most effective treatment for OSA, its clinical effectiveness is limited by patients' compliance. Other suggested treatments for OSA focus on expanding upper airway and reducing its collapsibility. For example, mandibular advancement device (MAD) achieves this goal by mechanically protruding the mandible. Other available treatments including weight reduction, positional therapy, drugs, nasal dilators, and nasal expiratory pressure device are clearly inferior to CPAP. 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.