What is a common treatment option for patients with obstructive sleep apnea?

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a widely recognized treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The primary function of CPAP is to keep the airways open during sleep by providing a steady stream of air through a mask that the patient wears over their nose or mouth. This uninterrupted airflow helps prevent the episodes of airway blockage that characterize obstructive sleep apnea, thereby significantly reducing the severity of symptoms such as daytime fatigue, snoring, and interruptions in sleep quality.

CPAP therapy has been shown to improve patient outcomes dramatically, leading to better overall health, enhanced quality of life, and decreased cardiovascular risks associated with untreated OSA. It is often the first line of treatment recommended after a diagnosis is made through sleep studies.

Other treatment options, while they may serve different purposes, do not address the underlying mechanism of obstructive sleep apnea in the same way. Oxygen therapy provides supplemental oxygen but does not prevent airway obstruction. Bronchodilators are used primarily to manage respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD and would not be effective in treating OSA. Antibiotics are aimed at bacterial infections and have no relevance to sleep apnea, which is not an infectious condition.