CPAP Tracker App Increases Treatment Compliance Rates

A new, easy-to-use online app for sleep apnea patients helps them achieve optimum continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

The ResMed (San Diego, CA, USA) myAir application delivers a daily “myAir score” to users every morning, showing how long they slept on CPAP, how many apneas they had per hour, and how well their CPAP mask fit. The app also provides personalized tips for greater comfort and sleep, and badges when users reach milestones in their therapy. The data can also help doctors and care providers sort and prioritize support concerns, and also know who is doing well with their CPAP compliance.

Compliant CPAP is key for patients to effectively treat their obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and according to a company statement, 84% of myAir users are compliant on CPAP within 90 days, compared to an average 50% compliant rate achieved by CPAP users without the app. The myAir web application, which is compatible with the ResMed Air10, AirSense, and AirCurve machines, is currently available only for iPhone or other Apple devices users. Roughly 900 patients a day are signing up for the service.

“We have seen increased rates of patient engagement and satisfaction by integrating myAir into their treatment plans,” said Raj Sodhi, president of healthcare informatics at ResMed. “Now it’s even easier for patients to engage with their therapy, thanks to the added convenience of an iPhone app.”

“myAir helps my patients be more engaged with their therapy and achieve better health outcomes,” said Jennifer Wilkymacky-Wormald, clinical and marketing manager for ATI CPAP Solutions (Crestview Hills, KY, USA). “Plus, it helps our office run more efficiently. The more patients who achieve CPAP compliance, the more time we have to focus on patients who still need extra support.”

Sleep apnea is a condition of chronic airway obstruction during sleep, potentially leading to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches. Major include obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), frequently found in obese and aged individuals with low muscle tone and excessive soft tissue around the airway; central apnea, an imbalance in the brain’s respiratory control center that leads to a delayed neurological response to carbon dioxide (CO2) blood levels; and mixed apnea, a combination of both. CPAP is the most commonly prescribed treatment, involving a mask worn during sleep that pumps air to help prevent the airway from closing.

Related Links:
ResMed