« Back to Farmacia Journal 1/2026

ADHERENCE TO CONTINUOUS POSITIVE AIRWAY PRESSURE THERAPY: HOW MUCH DOES THE START MATTER?

ROMICĂ BURCEA ^1,3*, ANCUȚA-ALINA CONSTANTIN ^2,3, FLORIN DUMITRU MIHALTAN ²,3

Download Full Article PDF

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy has a beneficial effect on the severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS). It is used indefinitely, typically for the patient's entire life. In this study, we sought to determine whether there was a statistical association between the first period of CPAP use and future adherence. The study included 86 patients diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, divided into two categories: adherent and non-adherent to CPAP. Patients completed a questionnaire at one month of therapy to assess factors related to adherence and the reasons for its suboptimal use. At the descriptive level, 38.9% of non-adherents had good adherence from the first night, while 90.0% of adherents reported a positive experience. Among non-adherents, only 41.7% reported good adherence in the first week, compared with a significantly higher percentage 98.0% among adherent patients. A comfortable and effective use right from the first night and the first week is associated with an increased likelihood of maintaining long-term CPAP therapy.