Provent Sleep Apnea Therapy

• Posted on: May 9 2012
• By: brandon.shaw

Self-adhesive Provent valves

The field of sleep apnea has seen numerous innovations in the past few years, aimed at achieving better results and making the treatment much more comfortable on the patients. While some therapies focus on devices and machines, others focus on surgical intervention. Each type of therapy has its own pros and cons, and your best bet is to consult with your physician to better understand the most appropriate treatment in your individual case.

Recently, there has been some information in the media about a new treatment modality called Provent. The Provent device is two individual disc-like adhesives with a central air valve. These discs need to be applied to the nostril nightly before going to sleep, and they need to stay on all through the course of the night. The idea behind the valves is that it creates expiratory positive airway pressure. In simple terms, it means that the valves only allow so much air out at a given time, and retain some extra pressure within the airways of the sleeping patient. This positive pressure is ideal to prevent any collapse of the airway, that otherwise would lead to obstructive sleep apnea.

Each set of discs is designed to be used once only. The patient who opts to undergo this kind of treatment is usually given a 30-day supply with multiple refills. Most patients start with a 10-day supply just to make sure that they are comfortable with use of the device before long-term commitment.

Provent is currently available by prescription only. It is recommended for the patient to be examined by a sleep specialist and determine if they are good candidate for this kind of treatment. Once this is established, the patient can obtain the prescription and then get the supply through various different vendors of the device. Again, the device may not be optimal in every single case, and the best way to find out is to have a thorough examination with a sleep specialist.

Tagged with: ear nose throat, ENT, Isaac Namdar, Isaac Namdar MD, New York, new york city, obstruction, OSA, Otolaryngology, Otorhinolaryngology, sleep apnea, snoring

Posted in: Sleep Apnea