Treatment of sleep apnea

Sleep apnea examinations are usually carried out in primary health care. A referral to specialized healthcare is made only if you are diagnosed with sleep apnea requiring significant treatment measures. 

More demanding examinations, such as extensive sleep registration or tests measuring alertness or daytime fatigue, are centralized in HUS at our Sleep Apnea Clinic.

More demanding studies may be needed at the diagnosis stage, if the situation is not resolved with conventional studies, i.e., limited polysomnography. We conduct limited and full sleep studies at home or in hospital.

In obstructive sleep apnea, respiratory airflow is restricted or blocked due to obstruction of the upper airways during sleep. The most common treatment forms for obstructive sleep apnea are weight control, cease of alcohol consumption and smoking, increasing physical activity, and continuous positive airway pressure breathing therapy (CPAP therapy) during sleep. 

CPAP therapy for obstructive sleep apnea can be initiated either at HUS or in primary health care in the locations that have a contract with HUS.  

In addition to the CPAP device, the hospital will provide you with one mask, air hose and humidifier chamber once a year. 

• Important safety information for patients using ResMed magnetic masks
• Information for patients: Restrictions on the use of Resmed magnetic hyperbaric masks
• Patient Instructions: Preparing for power cuts for people using oxygen respirators, CPAP and NIV devices

See the locations by using this link.

You must first undergo sleep apnea studies to confirm your sleep apnea diagnosis. You can get a referral for an examination from a health center, occupational health care provider, or a private medical clinic. The result of the examination will be reviewed with you by the healthcare provider who referred you. If a sleep apnea diagnosis is confirmed, a need for CPAP therapy is identified and you are willing to initiate the device therapy, you will be referred to specialized healthcare in the public sector to start CPAP therapy.

If your treatment has ended, you will require a new referral to receive treatment again. For a referral, contact your local health center, occupational healthcare services, or a private physician.

Referrals are handled on a first-come, first-served basis primarily in the pulmonary unit of your area of residence. In Helsinki, we handle referrals at the Sleep Apnea Clinic in the Skin and Allergy Hospital. 

When your referral is approved, we will either enable the Health Village’s digital care pathway for sleep apnea for you or make an appointment for you at your treatment unit.

You will then be put on a waiting list for the start of your device therapy. Therapy initiation methods vary from region to region. You will be informed of all appointments by letter, SMS or through the Maisa Portal.

Please contact your treatment unit if you have any questions about referrals or instructions.

See “Who can I contact?” for practices and contact details in your area.

The Health Village digital care pathway for sleep apnea is a secure online service that provides reliable information about sleep apnea and its treatment. You can also start device therapy on your own with the help of the digital care pathway. 

Completing the digital care pathway

You will receive login instructions by text message as soon as to the pathway is enabled for you. The digital care pathway will be available to you for at least a year after you first access it, and you can log in to the pathway to review things as needed.

Espoo (Jorvi) and Vantaa (Peijas)

You have three months to complete your digital care pathway. If you do not complete the pathway within this time, we will consider your treatment to be finished. You will need to go through all the different sections of the digital care pathway carefully and answer the questions at the end of the pathway (driving licence questionnaire and your willingness to initiate CPAP therapy). Once you have completed the digital care pathway, we will automatically be notified and can start planning your treatment. 

You will receive a letter inviting you to pick up your CPAP device from a hospital in your area. Please pick up the device on the date specified in the letter. If you are unable to pick up the device at that time, please let us know by calling the appointment booking number.

Helsinki

As a rule, your CPAP therapy will be initiated at the Sleep Apnea Clinic in the Skin and Allergy Hospital with a remote group consultation using the Teams application.

You can pick up your CPAP device and mask from the sleep apnea clinic about a week before you start and you can take the device  into use immediately if you wish. You will receive guidance on the use of the device at the group consultation arranged remotely. We will send an invitation and instructions by email to those participating in the remote group session.

Hyvinkää

We will provide you with a  CPAP device and guide you in its use directly on the basis of the referral information. The initiation session can be implemented as a self-start, group start or a small group or individual start. You will receive more detailed instructions on the appointment letter sent to your home address. 

Lohja

We will provide you with a CPAP device and guide you in its use during a nurse’s appointment or in a group start session. You will be invited to your appointment. We will only book a consultation with a pulmonary specialist for sleep apnea patients when necessary. Professional drivers and other people working in high-risk occupations usually have an appointment with a physician once. During the CPAP device guidance, we will also tell you about the digital care pathway, where you can find more information about sleep apnea if you need it.

Porvoo

We will provide you with a CPAP device and guide you in its use directly on the basis of the referral information. The session arranged when starting use of the device can be an individual or group session or a self-start session.

Individual and group sessions will be arranged at a nurse’s appointment at the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Porvoo Hospital. 

In the self-start session, you will pick up the device from the Porvoo Hospital info desk and learn how to use the device with the help of the instructions provided with the device and the information available in the digital care pathway. 

You will receive more detailed instructions on the appointment letter sent to your home address.

Raseborg

We will provide you with a CPAP device and guide you in its use during a nurse’s appointment as an individual session or a group session at Raseborg Hospital. We will send you an invitation to your CPAP start session by letter or you will receive a phone call. If necessary, we will book a treatment call or remote consultation with a pulmonary specialist for some patients based on their referral information.  

Adapting to the treatment using the device will take time. It requires commitment and regular use of the device. If you have difficulties or questions about starting to use your device, please first read the instructions that are provided with your device and use the material in the digital care pathway.

Only use one method of contact and wait for a response. None of our units provide services without an appointment, and appointments cannot be booked at the units. 

Helsinki

Maisa e-service

Sleep Apnea Clinic in the Skin and Allergy Hospital (callback service) 

Hyvinkää 

Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Hyvinkää Hospital 

If your treatment has been transferred to a health center, you can order masks and other supplies from Keusote’s medical supply distribution. You can place an order either using the online form or by phone.

Espoo

Jorvi Hospital, Sleep Apnea Clinic (only for CPAP users undergoing treatment)

You can also contact your sleep nurse by sending a message via Maisa if you have a sleep nurse in your list of recipients. Maisa e-service

LUVN distribution of medical supplies

If you cannot order online, you can leave a callback request on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 029 151 3050 and we will try to call you back within a week.

Lohja

Lohja Hospital, Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic

Maisa e-service

LUVN distribution of medical supplies

If you cannot order online, you can submit a callback request on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  on 029 151 3050 and we will try to call you back within a week.

Vantaa

Maisa e-service (Messages will be answered within 1 to 3 working days) 

Peijas Hospital, Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic

Porvoo

During the first three months, if you have any problems, you can contact the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Porvoo Hospital. Once the device treatment has been transferred to the health center, please contact your local health center.

Maisa e-service

Contact the Porvoo Social and Health Center when your device treatment has been transferred there.

Sleep nurse, tel. 040 358 9714
Mon 12–12:30 p.m.
Tue 8–9 a.m.
Thu 8–9 a.m.
Fri 8–9 a.m.

Sipoo

Appointment bookings: 019 5600 600

Loviisa and Lapinjärvi

Appointment bookings: 019 560 0300.
Callback within 1 to 3 days or via the online Omaolo service. 

Askola

Appointment bookings: 019 560 0200
Mon-Thu 8:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Fri 8:00 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Pukkila and Myrskylä

Appointment bookings: 019 560 0500

Raseborg

Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Raseborg Hospital

The AHI, or apnea hypopnea index, shows the number of apnea and reduced breathing episodes per hour of sleep. It describes the severity of sleep apnea. 

• Mild sleep apnea: AHI 5–14/h
• Moderate sleep apnea: AHI 15–30/h
• Severe sleep apnea: AHI over 30/h

Your pulmonary specialist may prescribe oxygen saturation oximeter monitoring if your oxygen saturation level has been below the target in your sleep apnea registration. The purpose of monitoring is to check whether your oxygen saturation value has improved with the treatment. 

If you are suspected of having obesity-related hypoventilation (BMI usually 35), your pulmonary specialist may sometimes order oximetry-capnography monitoring to measure the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in your blood. We will perform the monitoring either for a short period during the day or as an overnight study.

Helsinki

The sleep apnea nurse will check via remote connection how the device therapy has succeeded. If your device therapy has gone as planned and you are scheduled for oximeter monitoring, you can borrow an oximeter to attach to your CPAP device.

You will be invited to a nurse’s appointment where you will receive the oximeter and we will guide you in how to use it. Please bring your own CPAP device with you to the appointment. The oximeter must be returned after two days to the return box in the sleep apnea unit.

We will check the result of the monitoring via a remote connection. We will contact you about the result and any further plans by Maisa message, letter or phone call.

Hyvinkää

If necessary, your physician may order oximeter monitoring to check the success of the start of the CPAP therapy if your oxygen saturation level is significantly reduced. 

Oximeter monitoring, or monitoring of the blood oxygen level, is usually performed around 3 months after starting the CPAP therapy, so that you have had time to get used to sleeping with the device and can wear the mask all night or for at least more than 4 hours.

The nurse will send you a letter informing you when to collect your oxygen saturation meter. The oximeter comes with instructions on how to use the device.

Attach the oximeter to the device and the sensor to your finger when you go to bed. Do not bend or twist the wires on a loop, as the wire is easily broken. The device also automatically sends the treatment data to a cloud-based service. You will receive the measurement results by letter.

Jorvi 

The sleep apnea nurse will check via remote connection how the device therapy has succeeded and will contact you about the schedule for the monitoring, primarily by messaging via Maisa. You will be loaned an oximeter to attach to your CPAP device for the monitoring. You can get separate instructions on how to collect the device from the Jorvi Hospital info desk.

The oximeter comes with instructions on how to use the device. You will be monitored for one night, after which you will return the oximeter to the info desk on the following day. If you have problems with the measurement, please contact your sleep apnea nurse in the first instance by messaging via Maisa.

The monitoring result is stored in a cloud-based service, where the nurse will check it via a remote connection. The nurse will contact you with the result and a possible follow-up plan by text message or phone call. 

Lohja

We will lend you an oximeter during your CPAP therapy if necessary. Monitoring is performed during one night. Return the oximeter the next day as instructed.

The nurse will check your results and make a follow-up plan accordingly, which will ne notified to you by letter. The text will also appear in the Maisa Portal and Kanta.fi service.

Vantaa

The sleep apnea nurse will check via remote connection how the device therapy has succeeded and will contact you about the schedule for the monitoring, primarily by messaging via Maisa. 

We will lend you an oximeter to be attached to the device for the monitoring, and the oximeter will be delivered to the Peijas Hospital info desk for you to collect as agreed. Instructions for use are included with the oximeter. You can also find instructions on the digital care pathway for sleep apnea.

You will be monitored for one or two nights, after which you will return the oximeter to the info desk on the following day. The monitoring result is stored in a cloud-based service, where the nurse will check it via a remote connection. The result and any follow-up plan will be recorded for you in the Maisa Portal.

Porvoo

The sleep apnea nurse will check via remote connection how the device treatment has gone and will contact you by phone.

If necessary, your physician may order oximeter monitoring to check the response to the start of the CPAP therapy if your oxygen saturation level is significantly reduced. You will receive an oximeter at your appointment for the CPAP start session as well as instructions on how to use the oximeter. After a week, please return the oximeter to the Porvoo Hospital info desk. The nurse will check your results remotely and the physician will determine a follow-up plan. 

Raseborg

The sleep apnea nurse will check via remote connection how the device therapy has succeeded. If necessary, your physician may order home oximetry monitoring to assess the response to the CPAP therapy. You can pick up the device from the rehabilitation instructor or the switchboard and return it the next day to the Raseborg Hospital info desk.

A CPAP device blows pressurized air through a mask into the upper airways, keeping the airway open during sleep. The treatment often improves sleep quality and reduces daytime fatigue and other health problems caused by sleep apnea.

The treatment pressure of the device may vary, for example, due to posture or sleep phase. Pressure fluctuations are part of the normal operation of the device. If you wake up at night to the device blowing too hard, turn it off and then turn it on again.

Your device is set to an individual treatment pressure that you cannot adjust yourself. The pressure can be variable or constant. We are not responsible for the treatment if you adjust the device in any way.

Masks used in sleep apnea therapy

• The nostril mask is the smallest and lightest mask. It is inserted tightly by the nostril pieces, partially inside the nostrils.
• A nasal mask, as the name suggests, covers the nose or stays under the nose.
• A full face mask (oronasal mask) covers both the nose and the mouth. A full face mask does not cover the eyes. The new models are fairly sleek. 

The choice of mask design is individual. What suits one person may not suit another. The choice of mask design is influenced by factors such as structural nasal congestion, breathing through the mouth, nasal width, and facial proportions. 

You can get a mask from your healthcare unit in accordance with your unit’s policy. 

If you have a pacemaker, please inform your care team accordingly. The use of magnetic CPAP masks is most likely not possible in this case.

CPAP device therapy and the use of a mask take some getting used to. Practice using the device and the mask for at least a month to get used to both. Always try to use the device while you sleep. The initial challenges usually ease up fairly quickly, so do not give up immediately even if you feel the device is blowing hard.

The most common annoying symptoms are mask leakage and at some point during the night the device may seem to be blowing too hard. Many people say they wake up to this. If the problem recurs, the maximum pressure of the device can be lowered or the device can be remotely changed to a constant pressure. Often, however, you get used to the device and you will no longer notice similar pressure increases during sleep. 

Think about how you can make the device therapy part of your everyday life from the start. Remember that the device is meant to increase your wellbeing. 

The start of treatment is not intended to be overly burdensome, so a gradual daily increase in device use is perfectly possible during the first few weeks of getting used to the therapy. 

Initially, you should aim to use the CPAP device for at least four hours every night. Some people can sleep with the device all night long and feel much more alert already after the first few nights. However, this is not the case for everyone, but that does not mean that the device therapy is not beneficial. Give yourself time.

However, if you are still having problems using your CPAP device, please contact your treatment unit. You can find contact details under “Access to treatment and contacts”.

Read the instructions for using the mask carefully.

Place the mask on the middle of your face, making sure that the thickest part of the strap is in the middle of the neck and that the straps are evenly adjusted at the top and bottom. If impressions or reddish marks appear on the face and the bridge of your nose, the mask straps have been fastened too tight. Loosening the straps with often only a few millimeters will allow the mask to sit more loosely. There will always be some traces of the straps on the face, as due to the tightness requirement, the straps cannot be too loosely attached.

Turn on the device and vent  the mask by, i.e. seal the mask by pulling the mask slightly and evenly away from the face and then place the mask back on the face.  In this case the silicone part will straighten out, rather than remaining wrinkled against the skin. This will fill the padded portion of the mask with air and it will place it tighter and softer against the skin.

Remember to make final adjustments to the mask while lying in bed with the device on. If you use a face cream in the evenings, apply the cream 2–3 hours before putting on the mask to keep the silicone mask in place.

Make sure the mask is evenly tight both at the top and at the bottom. When the mask is tighter at the bottom straps, it will leak at the top and, correspondingly, when the mask is tighter at the upper straps, it will leak at the bottom.

The most common cause of a poorly fitting mask is wear of the mask or its straps. Careful mask maintenance will prolong the life of your mask and improve its fit. If not washed regularly according to the instructions, the straps will stiffen and lose their elasticity.

If, for any reason, the mask model is no longer suitable for you, please contact your treatment unit. For example, if you have lost weight or your mask has started pressing down too hard and causing skin problems, you may need to replace the mask or get a new mask model fitted.

There are videos in the digital care pathway and on the device manufacturer’s website on how to set up the device and put on the mask.

The treatment can dry out the mucous membranes of the nose. Take good care of your nose according to the nasal care instructions you have received. You can find instructions in your device case on the start of the CPAP therapy and in the digital care pathway.

However, if you are still having problems using your mask, please contact your treatment unit.

Hyvinkää 

You will receive two masks at the start of your device therapy.  If you have a problem with the mask, first check that it is correctly fastened and that the straps are not too tight. If the problem persists, contact the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Hyvinkää Hospital.

Espoo

You will receive one mask when you start your device therapy. If you have a problem with the mask, first check that it is correctly fastened and that the straps are not too tight. If the problem persists, please contact the sleep nurse at the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Jorvi Hospital by messaging via Maisa or by calling the sleep nurse during telephone hours.

Lohja 

Sleeping with a CPAP device can be difficult at first. However, you can usually get over the initial hiccups quite quickly, so don't give up immediately, even if the device seems to be blowing hard.  

The most common annoying symptoms are mask leakage and at some point during the night the device may seem to be blowing too hard. Many people say they wake up to this. If the problem recurs, the maximum pressure of the device can be lowered or the device can be remotely changed to a constant pressure setting. Often, however, you get used to the device and you will no longer notice similar pressure increases during sleep.  

Get used to using the device gradually. Think about how you can make the device therapy part of your everyday life from the start. Remember that the device is meant to increase your wellbeing.  

The start of treatment is not intended to be overly burdensome, so a gradual daily increase in device use is perfectly possible during the first few weeks of getting used to the therapy.  

Initially, you should aim to use the CPAP device for at least four hours a night. Some people can sleep with the device all night long and feel much more alert already after the first few nights. However, this is not the case for everyone, but that does not mean that the device therapy is not beneficial. Give yourself time! 

Vantaa

At the beginning of the treatment, we do not routinely hand over a humidifier and a heating hose from the Peijas Hospital. If regular daily nasal care is not of sufficient help within a month, you can contact a sleep apnea nurse to obtain a humidifier to be attached to the device and a heating hose to be used with the humidifier.

A humidifier can relieve symptoms, but it does not eliminate the need for regular nasal care. For instructions on how to use and maintain the humidifier and how to care for your nose, see the digital care pathway.

Porvoo

You will receive one mask when you start your device therapy. If you have a problem with the mask, first check that it is correctly fastened and that the straps are not too tight. If the problem persists, contact the callback service in the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Porvoo Hospital. 

We have criteria for changing the mask model, based on which we make an appointment with a sleep apnea nurse for fitting a different mask model. 

Mask change criteria

• You are using a nasal mask and you breathe through your mouth.
• You have a moustache or beard that prevents the mask from being tight enough against the skin.
• The mask is clearly of the wrong size.

If any of these criteria are met, please contact the sleep apnea nurse in your treatment unit.

The mask will not be replaced

• if the mask leakage is within the permitted limits.
• if you just want to try a new model.
• The device has not been in regular use or has only been tested briefly.
• The mask is worn or adjusted incorrectly, or the mask is pressing on the skin.

In this case, pay attention to how you wear and adjust the mask and recap the instructions for using the mask.

You will only receive a special silicone-free mask if our dermatologist recommends it after examination and the rash improves when using a silicone-free mask.

All CPAP devices are remote-readable. This means that the device has a built-in SIM card that sends the device’s usage data to the cloud-based service. 

Remote management works globally in mobile network access areas. The device does not store any other data and its location cannot be tracked. 

There are regional differences in the monitoring of treatment. If you experience any problems with CPAP therapy, please contact your treatment unit. For more detailed information, see the section “Access to treatment and contacts”.

Helsinki

We will check remotely how your treatment is going about 3 months after the start of treatment, and you will receive feedback on this by letter and in the Maisa Portal. Follow-up checks depend on the outcome and success of the device treatment. If the treatment is going well, there will be no more routine monitoring. 

Hyvinkää

We will check your treatment progress in 3 months after the start of the treatment via remote access. At that time, we will assess the need and timing of any further remote monitoring. You will receive information on your treatment results via text message. We record the outcome of your treatment in Apotti and it can be accessed later in the Maisa Portal or in MyKanta. 

Espoo

We will check the success of your treatment via remote connection about 3 months after the start of the treatment. You will receive the feedback by text message or a phone call. The next remote check will be about a year after use of the device has started. After that, routine monitoring will not be continued. We record the outcome of your treatment in Apotti and it can be accessed later in the Maisa Portal or in MyKanta.

Lohja 

We will check the success of your treatment via remote connection about 3 months after the start of the treatment. One year after starting the treatment, you will have a nurse’s appointment, after which your follow-up will be transferred to a health center.

We will check the success of the treatment of professional drivers via remote connection about one month and six months after the start of the treatment. One year after the start of treatment, you will have an appointment with a nurse. Monitoring of professional drivers will remain at Lohja Hospital’s Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic. 

Vantaa

We will check the success of your treatment via remote connection about one year after the start of the treatment. You will receive feedback on this by letter and in the Maisa Portal. No other routine monitoring will be performed. 

Porvoo 

A nurse will call you 1 to 2 weeks after the start of your device therapy. During the call, we will discuss your treatment results via remote connection and any challenges you may have been facing at the start of your device therapy. After three months, your treatment results will be reviewed in a treatment call or via letter. If your treatment goes well, the control check-ups will be transferred to the health center. 

Raseborg 

We will check the success of your treatment via remote connection about one month after the start of the treatment. The nurse will keep in touch with you about how your treatment is going. In future, your treatment will be reviewed every year and we will replace your treatment equipment at the same time. 

MyAir is a free sleep apnea monitoring software from device manufacturer ResMed. The software indicates the duration of CPAP therapy, the number of apnea episodes (AHI) and mask leaks, and how many times you have taken off the mask.

The software allows you to monitor the progress of your treatment and learn how to use the mask and the device correctly. You can use MyAir as an app on your smart device or on the computer.

For instructions on how to use the software, see the manuals that came with your device and the manufacturer’s website. myAir

In case of any problems, please contact the myAir support service.

The HUS unit or the wellbeing services county treating you is not involved with myAir or any problems that may arise when using it.

Make sure you clean the mask and other treatment accessories regularly, following the instructions that came with the device. The instructions are also available on the digital care pathway for sleep apnea. 

Pay particular attention to cleaning the mask. If the silicone part of the mask is not washed daily, it can affect the tightness of the mask. A dirty mask can also cause skin symptoms. Wash the mask using hand soap, not dish soap. 

The mask is designed to last at least a year in normal daily use, if its daily maintenance has been done properly.   

Also, remember to replace the device filter in accordance with the instructions. A dirty filter can affect the pressure output of the device.

The mask is designed to last at least a year in normal daily use, if its daily maintenance has been done properly. The treatment accessories – mask, hoses, filters and humidifier – are replaced every year or so.

Every year, we provide one mask, air hose and filters for the device to those being monitored in the HUS area, according to the current mask selection. Replace the filter every three months and the humidifier chamber every 1–2 years. 

CPAP device therapy and distribution of medical supplies for professional drivers and other at-risk drivers will continue to be managed mainly in our treatment units. For more detailed information, see professional drivers and persons in other high-risk occupations

There are regional differences in the distribution of medical supplies. See “Who can I contact?” for practices followed in your area.

Helsinki 

As a rule, we send ResMed masks and accessories by home delivery. If you have agreed on home delivery of supplies, your supplies will be mailed once a year to the nearest PostNord parcel locker. 

Other supplies are available without an appointment at the Skin and Allergy Hospital’s info desk on the 3rd floor of the hospital, Mon-Fri 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Hyvinkää 

As a client of the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Hyvinkää Hospital, you will receive your treatment supplies from the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic every year. If the mask or breathing tube is broken, primarily contact us through the Maisa Portal.

If your treatment has been transferred to a health center, you can order masks and other supplies from Keusote’s distribution of medical supplies either using the online form or by phone.

Espoo

During the first-year check-up appointment, your supply distribution will be transferred from Jorvi Hospital to the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County (LUVN). You will need a referral to the LUVN distribution of medical supplies from the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Jorvi Hospital to order your supplies from the distribution service.

Contact the sleep apnea clinic if you live outside the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County, but have chosen the Jorvi Sleep Apnea Clinic as your treatment unit. 

Lohja 

After the first year, your supply distribution will move to the distribution of medical supplies in the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County (LUVN).

If you are still a patient at the Lohja Hospital Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic, please leave us a callback request at the Lohja Hospital Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic using the callback system or you can also send us a message via the Maisa Portal.   

Vantaa

The feedback letter will include instructions on how to order new supplies. 

If it is less than a year since you started treatment, contact a sleep apnea nurse at the Peijas Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic. If you live outside the Wellbeing Services County of Vantaa and Kerava (Vakehyva), but have chosen Peijas Hospital as your treatment unit, you should also contact the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic.

After the first year of treatment, the Wellbeing Services County of Vantaa and Kerava will be responsible for providing your medical supplies. 

Distribution of medical supplies, the Wellbeing Services County of Vantaa and Kerava: 

Mon–Fri 10:00 a.m. to noon
Tel. 09 419 11210

Porvoo

You will be able to get new treatment supplies every year by contacting your treatment unit. If your treatment continues at the Porvoo Hospital Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic, please contact them. If your treatment has been transferred to a health center, contact the sleep nurse at your local health center. 

Raseborg 

At your annual check-up, your nurse will check that your treatment is going well and renew your treatment supplies at the same time. You can pick up your supply kit at the Raseborg Hospital info desk which is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

Follow the instructions for using your CPAP device and take good care of your device and treatment supplies.

If your device makes a strange noise, turn it off and try turning it on again.

Check the power supply. Does the green light in the transformer turn on and is the transformer definitely plugged in to the power outlet? Also make sure that all power cords are securely connected. Test the functioning of the device in another outlet. 

If the appliance does not blow out air, check that the hose is not kinked or crushed. It is also a good idea to check the filter. If the filter is very dirty and has accumulated a lot of dust, it can affect the operation of the device.

If the device makes a strange noise, remove the water chamber and then carefully refit it. Then try restarting the device. 

If you cannot connect the mask to the hose, check that the old mask fitting piece is not stuck in the hose. The sleep apnea device hose fits all masks.

If the problem persists and the device is broken, please contact your treatment unit, which may be a HUS unit or your local health center, depending on your area and situation. 

For contact details, see “Who can I contact?”.

Please note that a CPAP device for treating sleep apnea is not a life-support device and its failure is not an emergency. The replacement period for a device is one week. A functioning CPAP device will be replaced when it displays the text “moottoritunnit täynnä” (motor life exceeded).

The device can be used for about 20,000 hours. The lifetime of a single device is about 7–10 years, depending on the number of hours of daily use. For device replacement, please contact your treatment unit. For contact details, see “Who can I contact?”.

Helsinki

If the device is broken, call the Sleep Apnea Clinic in the Skin and Allergy Hospital. We have a callback  service. We can ensure the availability of a new device and agree on a time when you can pick it up.

Hyvinkää

If the device is broken, please contact the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Hyvinkää Hospital by phone. Callback is on weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon on 019 4587 4640. 

Espoo and Vantaa

For device replacement, please contact your sleep apnea nurse preferably by messaging via the Maisa Portal. If necessary, you will be asked to come to the unit with the device so that the fault can be verified.

Lohja

If you are a customer of the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Lohja Hospital, please leave a callback request in the outpatient clinic’s callback system or send a message in the Maisa Portal. If your care has already been transferred to a health center, please contact them. 

Porvoo

If the device is broken, contact your health center if your treatment has been transferred there and ask for a referral for a device replacement. If your treatment continues at Porvoo Hospital, contact the callback service in the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Porvoo Hospital. 

Raseborg

If the device is broken, contact the rehabilitation counsellor at the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Raseborg Hospital on the next working day.

At-risk occupations include professional drivers, sailors, and train drivers. Untreated sleep apnea increases the risk of accidents and can impair the fitness to drive. Asymptomatic sleep apnea does not prevent working as a professional driver. Under the Driving Licence Act, licence holders who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea need a separate medical certificate on their fitness to drive. 

During the device instruction session, we will discuss the follow-up plan for monitoring your treatment. Usually, the progress of your treatment is checked 1–3 months after the start of the device therapy and then annually at an appointment or a remote consultation (teleconsultation).

Contact us at the number you were given when you received your device or when you were instructed on its use, or send an electronic message via the Maisa Portal if your treatment unit has deployed Maisa. We aim to replace the supplies and the device within three days. Please also contact us if you need to change your mask model.

For more information on how to contact the different units, see “Who can I contact?”.

If you work in transport, you should definitely contact a pulmonary diseases outpatient clinic immediately if you experience any problems with your device therapy.

The monitoring of the device therapy of professional drivers and other high-risk occupations such as sailors and train drivers will remain at HUS in your treatment unit.

Pilots on CPAP treatment in the entire HUS region are monitored at the Sleep Apnea Clinic in the Skin and Allergy Hospital.

Have you used your CPAP device regularly and for sufficient periods of time? To be beneficial, device use should be regular (70% of nights) and sufficient (more than four hours every night).

It is worth noting that fatigue can be caused by other reasons than just sleep apnea. For example, irregular sleep patterns, too little sleep or temporary insomnia caused by stress, for example, can also affect your coping at daytime.

The sleep apnea units focus on device therapy for sleep apnea.

The treatment of insomnia belongs to primary health care. You can contact your local health center, your occupational healthcare services, or a private physician.

Make arrangements with your treatment unit on ending your treatment and returning the device. For contact details, see “Who can I contact?”.

We own the CPAP device you are using. After the treatment is finished, the device must be returned. 

Your treatment relationship in specialized healthcare will end when you stop your CPAP therapy. If you want to start CPAP therapy again at a later time, you will need to get a new referral to specialized healthcare from primary health care.

Professional drivers must contact their treatment unit immediately if they experience any problems with their device therapy.

Espoo

You can obtain a certificate for a special swimming card from the Pulmonary Diseases Outpatient Clinic at Jorvi Hospital by contacting the sleep apnea nurse during telephone hours or by sending a message via the Maisa Portal. 

Helsinki

Special swimming cards are not available in Helsinki for people with sleep apnea.  

Hyvinkää, Lohja

For a driving licence certificate, Kela rehabilitation and other certificates and statements, you should contact your health center, occupational health care services, or a private service provider, where the need for a certificate will be assessed.

Porvoo

A physician can issue a B certificate for a rehabilitation course for a person with sleep apnea.

People with sleep apnea are not eligible for a special swimming card. 

Raseborg

In Raseborg Hospital, physicians rarely write Kela rehabilitation certificates for sleep apnea patients. With regard to special swimming cards and driver’s licences, contact the local health center or occupational healthcare services. 

Vantaa

No separate certificate is required for a special swimming card. All you need to do is show your medical history and a diagnosis of sleep apnea when you buy your ticket. Print the text from MyKanta or the Maisa Portal. You can also display the text directly from the application.

The CPAP device is always carried as hand luggage on board an aircraft. The customs certificate can be found in your device container. With the certificate, you are able to prove that the device is a medical device; but it must fit within the permitted cabin baggage allowance. If necessary, check with your airline for specific instructions.

The CPAP device can be used without mains power using a battery and the device-specific cables. You will need to buy the battery and cables yourself. For more information, visit the device manufacturer’s website Converters and power supplies.

You will need to purchase a travel CPAP device and related supplies and accessories yourself. Sleep apnea nurses do not manage any issues related to travel devices.

If your place of residence changes outside your current wellbeing services county, your current treatment provider must make a referral to your new place of residence in order to transfer your treatment.

To make a referral, you should contact your treatment unit at HUS or in your wellbeing services county. For contact details, see “Who can I contact?”.

If you move, you can continue treatment with the CPAP device you have. There is no need to return the device. 

If there is a power cut while you sleep, you can breathe normally through the mask’s safety valve.