When Is A CPAP Titration Study Used?

If you have symptoms of sleep apnea or have already been diagnosed with this sleep disorder, your doctor may recommend a CPAP titration.

In this blog, the board-certified sleep doctors at eos sleep diagnostics explain when a CPAP titration study may be used.

What is CPAP titration?

Sleep apnea is characterized by repeated pauses in breathing, and if you have this sleep disorder, your doctor will probably recommend CPAP therapy. CPAP, which stands for continuous positive airway pressure, is the most common type of treatment used for sleep apnea. It delivers a continuous flow of pressurized air that helps to keep your airway from collapsing as you sleep.

A CPAP titration study – which is sometimes called a sleep apnea test – can be used by your doctor to determine the level of CPAP therapy that’s best suited for you. Your doctor will be able to use the results of this noninvasive test to precisely calibrate your CPAP machine so that it delivers the correct level of air pressure needed to keep your airway open.

Why is CPAP titration performed?

It may be ordered if you’ve already been diagnosed with sleep apnea in order to correctly calibrate your machine, or it can be done along with a sleep study, which can confirm or rule out the presence of sleep apnea. A sleep test measures exactly what’s happening to your body as you sleep, including your breathing, heart rate, movements, and the oxygen level in your blood.

These tests may be ordered if you’ve having the following symptoms:

• Chronic snoring
• Awakening at night, sometimes accompanied by gasping and choking sounds
• Excessive daytime sleepiness, even after seeming to get enough sleep
• Morning headaches
• Lack of concentration
• Irritability
• Depression

How is the test performed?

During the CPAP titration test, you’ll wear a CPAP mask as you go through different sleep stages. Your doctor will then be able to determine the best pressure delivery and setting to control your sleep apnea.

What are the benefits of a CPAP study?

The benefits of this test are as follows:

• Helps diagnose sleep apnea
• Ensures that your CPAP machine will be correctly calibrated
• Can point to a need for CPAP adjustment if you’ve been using it for a while
• Gives your doctor valuable data about your breathing and other activities during sleep

If you have symptoms that may point to the presence of sleep apnea or have already been diagnosed, make an appointment today with eos sleep diagnostics in Manhattan. We’ll confirm or rule out sleep apnea if necessary and if you’re starting or have been using CPAP, we can conduct a CPAP titration study to ensure it’s giving you the help you need.