Patients have a lot of questions regarding prescriptions for CPAP therapy such as Why do I need a prescription Where can I get a prescription How long is a prescription good for Here we aim to answer these important questions and more
Common CPAP prescription questions
Why do I need a prescription
Under federal law medical devices are categorized into 3 classesclass I II or III based on their risks and the regulatory controls necessary to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness by the Food and Drug Administration FDA
Medical devices are categorized into 3 classesclass I II or III based on their risks and the regulatory controls necessary to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness
CPAP devices are considered a Class II Medical Device and as such require a prescription for distribution
There are a couple of reasons why a prescription is necessary to purchase CPAP medical equipment
Insurances require a prescription to cover payments Without a prescription they will not pay for equipment
Prescriptions come with a set pressure setting based on the results of the sleep study A machine cannot be adequately set without pressure settings Pressure settings should only ever be determined by a board certified sleep specialists interpretation of the sleep study
Some patients being treated with CPAP for obstructive sleep apnea develop mixed sleep apnea central sleep apnea events that emerge after therapy Patients with mixed sleep apnea may need a different PAP machine that responds to central events such as a BiPAP machine or ASV machine
Without a prescription that includes pressure settings based on the patients apneahypopnea index AHI and lowest oxygen saturation SaO2 patients may not receive the best care Inadequate settings can be harmful to a patients health
How Do I get a CPAP prescription
The first thing you need to do is have a sleep study In order to obtain a prescription a sleep study is necessary to confirm a diagnosis of sleep apnea Patients can opt to have an attended sleep study at a sleep clinic PolysomnogramPSG or an unattended sleep study at home Home Sleep TestHST
Patients that have an HST cannot get a CPAP device unless a follow up titration is completed but will instead be issued an automatic positive airway pressure APAP device that has a range of pressures HST results are less detailed than attended studies which is why prescribed machines based on HST results have a range of pressure rather than a set pressure Attended titration studies are much more detailed and can find the exact pressure needed for CPAP therapy
After a sleep study a board certified sleep physician interprets the study and recommends the pressure settings on the device based on the patients AHI and the lowest oxygen saturation SaO2 percentage
The sleep physician can either write the prescription or forward the prescription recommendations to a licensed medical professional
Who can write CPAP prescriptions
Medical doctors
Doctor of Osteopathy
Psychiatrist MD only
Physician assistant
Nurse practitioner
Dentist
Naturopathic physicians
For the most part a prescription may be filled out by an MD or DO license to write Rx However the scripts are almost always based on the recommendations of the interpreting physician If you are interested in becoming a trained medical professional you can become a Master of Science in Nursing Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner This role will enable you to prescribe CPAP machines Although It is always best to have a prescription from a board certified sleep specialist
What does the prescription need to have
In order to acquire PAP equipment a prescription should have the following
Physicians contact information
Physicians signature
Patients full name
Diagnosis obstructive sleep apnea central sleep apnea mixed sleep apnea
Duration most CPAP prescriptions come with a lifetime prescription
Type of machine CPAP APAP BiPAP ASV etc
Pressure setting of the machine fixed or range depending on machine type
If a humidifier is included in the prescription
Maskdelivery system usually indicates that patient can choose a preference of mask
The recommended schedule for replacement masks parts and accessories
Various machine types will require different information
CPAP device will require a single pressure setting
APAPs will have a pressure range with two settings minimum pressure and maximum pressure
BiPAPs will have an IPAP inspiratory pressure over an EPAP expiratory pressure
BIPAP autos will have a max IPAP and minimum EPAP
BiPAP ST will have IE plus a breath rate
BiPAP ASV will have a max IPAP minimum and maximum EPAP minimum and maximum pressure support PS and breath rate
How long is my prescription good for
How long a prescription is valid for depends on the duration that the prescribing physician recommends Most PAP prescriptions are filled out for a lifetime prescription
However if a prescription notes a specific number of refills the prescription will only be valid until that number has been reached
If a prescription notes an expiration date the prescription is only valid until that date
If a prescription expires a new sleep study will be necessary to obtain a new CPAP prescription
How do I get my CPAP equipment if I have a prescription
First you need to decide where you want to purchase your CPAP equipment If youre unsure of where to get your equipment from check out this article that gives great tips on how to select the best CPAP provider
The next step is getting the prescription to your equipment provider before they can dispense your order You can either contact the prescribing physician and have them send the prescription to the provider or you can give your physicians contact information to the equipment provider and have them get ahold of it
If you live in Alaska and need a sleep study performed to diagnose and treat your sleep apnea contact the Alaska Sleep Clinic by clicking the link below By doing so you will receive a free 10 minute phone consultation with a sleep educator who will help determine if a sleep study is right for you
