Nasal expiratory positive airway pressure (Nasal EPAP) is a treatment for

obstructive sleep apnea Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder and is characterized by recurrent episodes of complete or partial obstruction of the upper airway leading to reduced or absent breathing during sleep. These episo ...

(OSA) and snoring. Contemporary EPAP devices have two small valves that allow air to be drawn in through each nostril, but not exhaled; the valves are held in place by adhesive tabs on the outside of the nose. The mechanism by which EPAP may work is not clear; it may be that the resistance to nasal exhalation leads to a buildup in CO₂ which in turn increases

respiratory drive The control of ventilation refers to the physiological mechanisms involved in the control of breathing, which is the movement of air into and out of the lungs. Ventilation facilitates respiration. Respiration refers to the utilization of oxygen and ...

, or that resistance to exhalation generates pressure that forces the upper airway to open wider. In OSA it appears to be effective to reduce but not eliminate apnea for people with mild to moderate OSA (

Apnea–hypopnea index The Apnea–Hypopnea Index or Apnoea–Hypopnoea Index (AHI) is an index used to indicate the severity of sleep apnea. It is represented by the number of apnea and hypopnea events per hour of sleep. Apnea is the complete absence of airflow through ...

< 30) and for people who cannot tolerate

CPAP Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a form of positive airway pressure (PAP) ventilation in which a constant level of pressure greater than atmospheric pressure is continuously applied to the upper respiratory tract of a person. The ...

, but within those groups it is not clear why some respond and others do not, and the evidence consists of small clinical trials with follow-up no longer than one year. As of 2015 there was evidence from one small trial that it may be useful in children with OSA. It has shown evidence of reducing snoring as well. EPAP is unlikely to be effective in people with significant nasal obstruction. Side effects that emerged during clinical trials included difficulty breathing, difficulty falling or staying asleep, dry mouth, nasal congestion, headache, difficulty putting on or removing the device, and anxiety. Ventus Medical received FDA

510K The United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (abbreviated as FFDCA, FDCA, or FD&C) is a set of laws passed by the United States Congress in 1938 giving authority to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to oversee the safety of f ...

clearance for marketing the Provent EPAP device for OSA in 2009. Ventus received 510K clearance for an EPAP device to treat snoring in June 2012. Ventus was acquired by Theravent Inc. in 2013.Bloomber
Ventus profile
Page accessed August 15, 2016

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